First Solar and Capital Dynamics have started commercial operations at a 280MW photovoltaic (PV) farm in California, the US.
The California Flats facility (pictured) is located on land within the Hearst-owned Jack Ranch, near the borders of San Luis Obispo and Monterey County. It is one of the largest working cattle ranches in the US.
Ranch employees worked in tandem with the construction and operation teams, with input from stakeholders, to assess and plan the development, to ensure the facility has a very low visual impact and cannot be seen from any public roads.
The project supports and complements the sustainable cattle operation of the ranch, which provides grass-fed beef to Whole Foods Market’s Southern Pacific region, reducing pressure to use the ranch land for other commercial purposes.
“The California Flats Solar Project helped us meet our goal of finding a sustainable solution to keep the 73,000-acre Jack Ranch intact as an historic working cattle ranch using traditional and time-proven ranching methods for our grass-fed Hearst Ranch Beef programme,” said Steve Hearst, Hearst Western Properties general manager.
The project, which covers approximately three percent of the area of the ranch, was built in two phases and is fully contracted under two long-term power purchase agreements serving both utility and corporate customers.
First Solar completed development and constructed the facility after acquiring the project in 2015 and Capital Dynamics acquired the project from First Solar in August 2017.
Capital Dynamics managing director for clean energy infrastructure Benoit Allehaut said: “First Solar and Hearst have been great partners, and we are proud to be the first to use the First Solar Series 6 solar panels.
“This project will play an important part in helping California meet its renewable energy goals while creating jobs and substantial economic benefits throughout the state.”
The Series 6 modules have approximately half the carbon footprint of conventional crystalline silicon PV panels.
The California Flats solar project covers an area equivalent to the square footage of 449 football fields and will generate clean solar energy equivalent to the needs of about 116,000 average California households per year.