Panoche Valley Solar Farm

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Panoche Valley Solar Farm
Map
CountryUnited States
LocationPanoche Valley, San Benito County
Coordinates36°37′N 120°52′W / 36.62°N 120.87°W / 36.62; -120.87
StatusOperational
Construction beganApril 2016
Commission dateJanuary 2018[1]
Construction costapproximately $1 billion
OwnersPanoche Valley Solar, LLC.
Solar farm
TypeFlat-panel PV
Site area1,300 acres (530 ha)
Power generation
Nameplate capacity130 MW[2]
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Panoche Valley Solar Farm is a 130 megawatt (MW),[2] utility-scale solar photovoltaic power station in the Panoche Valley of Central California's San Benito County.[3] Panoche Valley is crossed by a 230-kilovolt (kV) power line from the Moss Landing Power Plant.[3]

Originally proposed by Solargen Energy (later known as Nevo Energy),[4][5] the project was purchased by PV2 Energy in April 2011, with Nevo Energy retaining a small equity interest, but no voting, governance or management input. In April 2012, PV2 Energy entered into a joint venture with Duke Energy, the largest utility in the United States. The project was eventually acquired by Con Edison in 2016.[6]

The project site consists of 4,717 acres (1,909 ha) of private land in the northern portion of the valley. It is used for pasture-based livestock grazing on native grassland habitat.[7] In October 2010, the San Benito County Board of Supervisors approved the company’s environmental impact report.[8][9] Originally proposed at 399 MW, the cost was estimated at approximately $1 billion.[10] The project faced lawsuits from three environmental groups who charged that project would harm native species such as the giant kangaroo rat, blunt-nosed leopard lizard, San Joaquin kit fox, and various bird species.[6] The project was downsized to 247 MW and eventually 130 MW in 2017 after a settlement was reached.[6][11] The plant started producing power in January 2018.[1] RWE acquired Con Edison's clean energy business in 2023.[12]

Electricity production

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Generation (MW·h) of Panoche Valley Solar Farm [1]
Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total
2018 7,127 12,526 12,779 17,446 20,209 20,271 20,588 19,533 23,132 24,024 18,216 16,554 212,405
2019 16,691 19,603 28,963 37,719 38,348 46,276 48,133 44,190 37,025 30,878 20,290 13,722 381,838
2020 16,912 25,900 20,287 18,395 29,662 39,296 47,470 37,455 27,922 24,917 18,611 18,450 325,277
2021 17,437 19,453 29,067 38,078 38,940 42,968 44,627 38,897 32,902 18,941 21,484 13,202 355,996
2022 19,808 25,597 26,116 15,420 22,128 37,233 41,289 39,405 28,850 25,565 21,014 14,306 316,731
2023 15,815 17,910 15,158 9,299 30,367 32,563 45,430 38,736 32,097 45,248 18,624 14,692 315,939
2024 15,110 10,508 8,079 13,098 20,698 35,433 44,666 40,026 31,714 24,848 18,996 15,916 279,092
Average Annual Production (2018-2024) 312,468

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Panoche Valley Solar Farm, Monthly". Electricity Data Browser. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
  2. ^ a b de Bertaut, Carmel (2018-11-06). "Panoche Valley Preserve Opens". BenitoLink. Retrieved 2019-07-11.
  3. ^ a b "Panoche Valley Solar Farm". San Benito County. Retrieved 2010-06-16.
  4. ^ nevo energy inc (NEVE:OTC US)
  5. ^ "Panoche Valley, California". Retrieved 2010-06-16.
  6. ^ a b c Rogers, Paul (July 21, 2017). "Giant California solar project cut back after environmentalists oppose it". San Jose Mercury News.
  7. ^ Richman, Marty (May 25, 2010). "Marty: Solargen must clear economic hurdles". Hollister Free Lance. Retrieved 2010-06-16.
  8. ^ Weber, Gretchen (October 13, 2010). "Marty: San Benito PV Array Clears a Key Hurdle". KQED. Retrieved 2012-04-26.
  9. ^ "DEIR", cosb.us/Solargen.
  10. ^ Environmentalists Eclipse Solar Energy
  11. ^ Chadwell, John. "Panoche Valley Solar Project money begins to reach county". Benitolink. Archived from the original on 9 April 2019.
  12. ^ "RWE completes $6.8B acquisition of Con Edison Clean Energy Businesses".
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