The Globe and Mail reports in its Wednesday, Aug. 23, edition that when Alberta's Environment Minister arrives in Germany this week for the inauguration of a massive geothermal energy project, developed by Calgary-based Eavor Technologies, her baggage will include her government's decision to pause all geothermal power project approvals as part of a broader moratorium on renewables. The Globe's Emma Graney writes that the United Conservative Party government imposed a seven-month halt on application approvals for new wind and solar projects on Aug. 3. Renewable-energy developers and investors have expressed their frustration and questioned the stated reasons for the move, which include addressing end-of-life reclamation and studying how more renewables affect arable farmland and grid reliability. The bulk of the discussion around the renewables moratorium has centred on wind and solar power projects, but geothermal is also affected. University of Calgary assistant professor Sara Hastings-Simon says the justification for a pause for renewables development does not "stand up to scrutiny." She says, "It's just another really unfortunate throttling of what could be a growing industry in Alberta."