CIM Group has announced completion and commercial operation of the first 125MW phase of the 250MW Aquamarine solar photovoltaic project at Westlands Solar Park, California.
The project is now generating power to deliver on its previously executed power purchase agreements with Valley Clean Energy Alliance and Silicon Valley Power.
The company said it is currently negotiating additional PPAs with other potential counterparties for Aquamarine and future phases at Westlands Solar Park.
Achieving commercial operation follows the approval by Pacific Gas and Electric authorizing Cal-ISO to connect Aquamarine to the power grid.
Cal-ISO in turn authorized Aquamarine to begin synchronization and start a power generation test project providing power to the grid.
The several week test period was successfully concluded and Aquamarine officially began commercial operations on 17 September.
Aquamarine’s second 125MW phase will be complete and operational by the end of the year, CIM said.
CIM Group co-founder and principal Avi Shamesh said: “Bringing clean solar power to California from Aquamarine is a major milestone in the realization of the full potential of our 20,000-acre Westlands Solar Park.
“As one of the largest solar projects in the US, Westlands Solar Park, at full build-out, will have the capacity to deliver 2.7GW of renewable energy, a substantial resource to utilities and businesses advancing their plans to reduce carbon emissions and meet California’s renewable energy goals.”