Leeward turns sod on 100MW California solar

• Rabbitbrush project consists of a 20MW/50MWh energy storage system to boost grid reliability

Leeward Renewable Energy has actually commenced building and construction of the 100MW Rabbitbrush solar project in California, in the US.

Construction is expected to be completed by end of July 2022 and also the facility is estimated to begin procedure by the end of August 2022.

Leeward had actually previously signed two 15-year power purchase agreements (PPAs) with Central Coast Community Energy (CCCE) and Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) to provide with electrical power from the plant.

McCarthy Building Companies is the engineering, procurement as well as building professional on the project, in Kern County, which also includes a 20MW/50 megawatt-hour battery.

The energy storage system will certainly boost the resiliency and integrity of the California energy grid.

First Solar has provided its thin film modules for Rabbitbrush.

Rabbitbrush is anticipated to create approximately 300 brand-new union jobs safeguarded under a project work agreement, during building and construction, in addition to long-term procedures jobs.

"Starting building and construction on the Rabbitbrush facility is a monumental turning point for Leeward and also is the very first solar project we have actually built because incorporating First Solar's solar growth system in early 2021, with a lot more in advance," stated Jason Allen, Leeward's chief executive officer.

CCCE and SVCE are California community selection aggregators (CCAs), procuring clean, eco-friendly electrical power and giving decarbonisation programme financing to 670,000 customers.

Rabbitbrush will certainly assist the CCAs attain their part of a recent order for the state to develop at the very least 11.5 GW of brand-new resources by 2026.