The projects are anticipated to generate adequate clean energy to power up to 77,000 average homes
Desert Harvest 1 & 2 Solar Projects in Riverside County, California. (Credit: Business Wire.)
EDF Renewables North America has completed and commenced commercial operation at the 114MW Desert Harvest 1 and the 100MW Desert Harvest 2 solar projects in the US.
Both the projects are located adjacent to each other on unincorporated land in Riverside County, California, administered by the Federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
BLM designated the area as a Solar Energy Zone (SEZ) and Development Focus Area, land set aside for utility-scale renewable energy development.
Desert Harvest 1 project is backed by a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) to provide electricity to MCE.
Desert Harvest 2 is supported by a 25-year Renewable Energy Credit (REC) + Index structure contract to supply energy and renewable attributes to Southern California Public Power Authority (SCPPA).
Both the Desert Harvest projects feature horizontal single-axis tracking solar photovoltaic (PV) technology. Desert Harvest 2 includes a 35MW, 4-hour energy storage system (ESS).
In addition to economic benefits, the combined projects are anticipated to generate adequate clean energy to support the consumption of up to 77,000 average homes in California.
EDF Renewables said that its asset optimisation team will perform operations and maintenance services for the life of the Project, by providing NERC compliance support, remote monitoring, and balance-of-plant management to maximize power production.
MCE CEO Dawn Weisz said: “MCE’s partnership with EDF Renewables on the Desert Harvest project provided an exciting opportunity to invest in clean, renewable solar energy, while growing California’s economy through in-state job creation.
“Construction of projects like this that increase adoption of solar resources, instead of fossil fuels, helps us secure a clean energy future for California.”
Recently, EDF Renewables North America started commercial operations at 173.4MW Maverick 1 and 135.9MW Maverick 4 Solar Projects in the US.