CalRENEW-1, the largest utility-scale photovoltaic solar facility being developed under California's renewable portfolio standard program, has received formal approval from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).
The 5 MW of power generated from CalRENEW-1, to be located in Mendota, will be sold to Pacific Gas & Electric under a long-term power purchase agreement. The project is being developed by San Francisco-based Cleantech America Inc.
‘Utility-scale PV solar in California has just transitioned from hopeful concept to reality,’ says Bill Barnes, CEO of Cleantech America. ‘With the end of the CPUC 30-day comment period, we now have a formally approved long-term contact with PG&E and the green light to move ahead with equipment procurement and project financing.’
Scheduled to begin operation in the spring of 2009, CalRENEW-1 has drawn much attention from solar equipment manufacturers, research and development operations, and other related businesses, which are expressing interest in building or relocating facilities to California's San Joaquin Valley in order to be near a region of active solar and renewable development.
