EDF Renewables Intensifies 620 MW / 200 MWh Solar Project – pv USA Magazine

EDF Renewables North America has announced the start of commercial operations for a series of four projects at its Palen Solar site. The projects combine a total capacity of 620 MW of solar power and 50 MW/200 MWh of energy storage.

There is a website administered by the Federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The BLM has designated the area as a Solar Energy Zone and Targeted Development Area, land set aside by the federal agency for utility-scale renewable energy development.

Projects include:

Average local costs in Riverside County, California during construction are estimated to be $24,000 per month. Combined, these projects generate enough energy to power up to 217,000 average homes in California. This means avoiding more than 1 million metric tons of CO₂ emissions each year, which is the greenhouse gas emissions of 227,000 gasoline passenger cars in use for one year.

Construction began in early 2020 for Maverick 1 and 4, followed by Maverick 6 and 7 in early 2021. At the peak of construction, more than 500 people worked on the facilities.

“The Maverick projects are the cornerstone of our large-scale solar and storage growth and expertise. The renewable energy industry has experienced significant volatility in recent years, battling both an unprecedented pandemic and supply chain constraints. We are very pleased that all four projects are operating at full capacity and contributing to California’s climate goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 40% below 1990 levels by 2030.” Benoit Rigal, senior vice president of implementation and project management, EDF Renewables North America.

The company’s asset optimization group will perform operations and maintenance services throughout the life of the project. It will provide support for NERC compliance, remote monitoring and plant balance management to maximize energy production.

EDF Renewables is one of the largest developers in North America with over 35 years of experience and 24 GW of solar, wind and storage projects under development. The company provides services from the power grid to the charging of electric vehicles.