EDF Renewables North America announced that the Palen solar site is operational and delivering energy to the grid.
The site consists of four projects totaling 620 megawatts (MWdc) of solar PV plus 200 MWh of battery energy storage.
The projects, which utilize horizontal single-axis tracking technology, are located adjacent to each other on unincorporated land in Riverside County, California, administered by the Federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
Maverick 1: 173 MWdc (125 MWac)
Maverick 4: 137 MWdc (100 MWac)
Maverick 6: 131 MWdc (100 MWac) plus 200 MWh (50 MW) battery storage
Maverick 7: 179 MWdc (132 MWac)
Besides economic benefits for Riverside County, including an average local spend of $24,000 a month during construction, the projects generate decarbonized energy to meet the consumption of up to 217,000 average California homes, EDF Renewables said.
EDF Renewables started construction activity for Maverick 1 and Maverick 4 in early 2020, followed by Maverick 6 and Maverick 7 in early 2021. The projects were completed in sequence starting in December 2020. At peak construction, the sites employed over 500 personnel, majority of which were local to Riverside County.
“We have all four projects operating at full capacity and to contribute to California’s climate goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030,” Benoit Rigal, Senior Vice President, Implementation & Projects Management for EDF Renewables North America, said.
EDF Renewables’ Asset Optimization group will perform operations and maintenance services for the life of the project. The group will provide NERC compliance support, remote monitoring, and balance-of-plant management to maximize power production.