EDP Renewables (EDPR) North America has inaugurated its 200MW Scarlet 2 Solar Energy Park, in Fresno County, California.
The project follows EDPR NA’s Scarlet 1 Solar Energy Park, comprising 200MW of solar and 40MW/160MWh of battery energy storage system (BESS), which achieved commercial operation in 2024.
This second phase of the Scarlet Solar Energy Park includes a co-located 150MW/600MWh BESS, increasing the project’s resilience.
The full output of the 200MW of solar energy is contracted through a 15-year virtual PPA, with resource adequacy associated with the 150MW BESS contracted under long-term Resource Adequacy (RA) agreements with Ava Community Energy and San José Clean Energy.
California’s Resource Adequacy Program ensures that load-serving entities (LSEs) have sufficient capacity to meet their customers’ demand and maintain grid reliability.
Through further expansion into the Central Valley, EDPR NA has more than 1.1GW of operational solar, wind, and storage projects throughout California, cementing its status as a leading renewable energy developer in the state.
Scarlet 2 will generate enough energy to power the equivalent of 68,000 California homes each year.
Local institutions such as schools, emergency services, road maintenance, and infrastructure will benefit from the project’s economic boost.
Scarlet 2 will provide millions to be paid to local governments through tax payments, and millions spent locally at gas stations, retailers, restaurants, and hotels throughout its lifetime.
The park supported the creation of more than 140 construction jobs and accounted for more than US$1,537,000 of spending in-state.
Sandhya Ganapathy, chief executive of EDP Renewables North America, said: “After our successful launch of Scarlet 1, we are thrilled to add Scarlet 2 to our portfolio and build on our record of delivering energy reliability and resiliency for Fresno County and the Golden State.
“We are proud that our meaningful partnerships and investments in the community helped generate strong local support for the expansion of Scarlet Solar Energy Park.”
Scarlet 2 continued the environmental stewardship commitment EDPR NA has made under its Close the Loop Program, recycling over 1700 (1757.49) tonnes of material over the course of construction, through EPC Rosendin and various materials recyclers, leading to over 60% (61.98%) of total reported construction material recycled.
EDPR’s operational footprint of 1138MW is spread across two phases of the Scarlet Solar Energy Park, three phases of the Rising Tree Wind Farm in Kern County, two phases of the Lone Valley Solar Park in San Bernardino County, two phases of the Sandrini 1 & 2 Solar Energy Park in Kern County, and the Windhub A Solar Park in Kern County.