May 10,2018-
Another huge solar farm proposed for Avenal Cutoff
SF-based First Solar has filed for a conditional-use permit to build a 300-megawatt solar farm on 2103 acres.The project, named Daylight Legacy Solar, is being proposed along the Avenal Cutoff, following on the filing of another 300mw project by Recurrent Energy, RE Slate, last month nearby. The proposal continues a trend of construction of solar farms on water-short farmland in the western part of Kings County.
The First Solar project located at 20630 Nevada Ave could be in service by 2021 says First Solar manager Louis DeRosa in an April 18 letter. Both the First Solar and Recurrent plans are the largest proposed yet in the county and each includes a battery storage component.
The renewable energy projects continue to pile up in this sun baked part of California with solar projects built or in the works approaching 2000 megawatts, equivalent in megawatts to power generated by Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant, about to be decommissioned. Kings solar farms would now cover some 19,000 acres.
The Kings County Planning Commission has yet to schedule a date for a hearing on the Daylight project.
Kings County to install solar at government parking lots
Kings County plans to contract with a solar company Engie, to build solar projects at the various county-owned locations.The cost will be approximately $19.4 million, but their installation is projected to save approximately $31.1 million in energy costs over the 30-year life of the project. Solar carports and ground amounted arrays at the Government Center and the Road Yard will shade vehicles as well as house solar panels and energy storage components. There would be a 500 kW energy storage system to reduce peak hour charges. Engie would maintain the system under a power purchase agreement (PPA).
ENGIE Services U.S. (formally Opterra Energy Services and Chevron Energy Solutions) is the largest independent electricity producer in the world, and the third largest retail electricity supplier in the United States. A PPA is a financial agreement where a developer arranges for the design, permitting, financing and installation of a solar energy system on a customer’s property. The developer sells the power generated to the host customer at a fixed rate that is typically lower than the local utility’s retail rate.
Tulare County this month is signing a similar agreement with the same company.
Gas prices up again
The average price in California for regular gasoline increased 6.5-cents from the previous week says the California Energy Commission now up to $3.63 a gallon.