Project Will Assist Long-Term Effort to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
SACRAMENTO – January 15, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — The Department of Water Resources (DWR) has executed agreements to purchase solar energy from a 9.5 Megawatt (MW) photovoltaic facility that will be built, owned and operated by SunPower Corporation on DWR’s property near its existing Pearblossom Pumping Plant in Los Angeles County.
The facility is expected to begin commercial operation by the end of 2016 and is forecasted to produce 548,000 MW-hours of clean renewable energy over the 20-year term of the contract.
The project site was chosen for solar production suitability, available ground space and proximity to transmission infrastructure.
“This effort represents the culmination of work over the past six years to develop a utility-scale renewable energy project on DWR land,” said Veronica Hicks, Chief of the State Water Project Power and Risk Office. “This wasn’t an easy agreement to reach given the complexity of the transmission facilities at the site, but it will make a big difference in ‘greening’ the State Water Project.”
DWR will receive all of the renewable solar energy and associated renewable energy credits produced by the project, bringing DWR’s total solar resources to 140 MW. This is in addition to 33 MW geothermal and landfill gas generation and 30 MW of small hydrogeneration under contract to DWR.
DWR is committed to a long-term effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with its operations. DWR’s progressive actions in procuring and developing low- and zero-emission resources has enabled it to already reach its goal to reduce emissions by 50 percent below 1990levels by 2020. DWR is well on its way to achieve the 2050 goal of reducing emissions by 80percent below 1990 levels.
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While the early winter rain and snowpack are promising, this may yet prove to be a fifth consecutive year of drought in California. To learn about all the actions the state has taken to manage our water system and cope with the impacts of the drought, visit Drought.CA.gov.
Every Californian should take steps to conserve water; find out how at SaveOurWater.com.
Contact:
Ted Thomas, Information Officer – (916) 653-9712
Ted.Thomas (at) water.ca (dot) gov
Doug Carlson, Information Officer — (916) 653-5114
Paul.Carlson (at) water.ca (dot) gov
