DWR’s largest solar energy project connects to grid

LANCASTER

December 21, 2016 4:34am

•  85-megawatt plant in Lancaster

•  “We expect substantial environmental benefits due to this solar project”

An 85-megawatt plant solar power plant in Lancaster, owned by sPower of Salt Lake City, Utah, is now online, sending its electricity to the California Department of Water Resources under a 20-year power purchase agreement.

Under terms of the contract, the “Solverde 1 Solar Facility” is to deliver approximately 240,000 Megawatt hours (MWh) annually, or nearly 4.8 million MWh over the life of the contract.

DWR Director Mark Cowin says the project is a major advancement in shrinking the carbon footprint attributed to the State Water Project, cutting emissions that contribute to climate change. “We expect substantial environmental benefits due to this solar project,” says Mr. Cowin.

The Solverde 1 Solar Facility is expected to replace SWP market energy purchases from natural gas power plants resulting in GHG emission reductions of 105,000 metric tons annually, DWR says.

sPower has installed more than 330,000 photovoltaic modules mounted on a motorized heliotropic tracking system that adjusts the panels’ orientation throughout the day to follow the sun’s path and maximize energy capture.

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