Terra-Gen installs 115 MW of solar + storage for San José Clean Energy

San José Clean Energy (SJCE) and developer Terra-Gen are celebrating that SJCE’s first long-term investment in renewable energy — a new 115-MW solar and battery storage project in Kern County, California — is delivering power as of December 31, 2021. The Kern Solar and Battery Storage Project built by Terra-Gen is providing power for SJCE customers in a unique format: fixed delivery of 62 MW of renewable energy between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. every day. SJCE contracted with Terra-Gen for a 12-year PPA in April 2020, and the project came online on schedule and was built with union labor.

This will support grid reliability, help reduce reliance on power plants that produce harmful emissions, and improve air quality by providing renewable energy in the late afternoon and evening hours when demand for electricity is high but renewable energy availability is low.

“SJCE is proud to put new renewable energy onto the California grid through this innovative project and to achieve this milestone less than three years since becoming the local electric generation service provider,” said Lori Mitchell, director of San José’s Community Energy Department, which operates SJCE. “Our community is at the core of the work that we do, and we’re excited to contribute to healthier air and a more livable planet for the families of today and of tomorrow.”

As the city’s Community Choice Aggregator (CCA), SJCE provides electricity generation service for about 350,000 homes and businesses. SJCE offers clean, renewable power options at competitive rates. GreenSource, SJCE’s standard service option, is currently sourced at 60% from renewable energy, up from 45% in 2019.

In addition to this unique solar agreement, SJCE and Terra- Gen contracted for a 15-year PPA for another 100 MW of new solar. This project is expected to reach commercial operation by the end of 2022 and will also be built in Kern County with union labor. SJCE is also one of the CCAs that signed a contract to procure nearly 70 MW of long-duration storage by 2026.

News item from the City of San José

<!–
–>
Original Source: https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2022/02/terra-gen-installs-115-mw-solar-storage-san-jose-clean-energy/