Interior Secretary Deb Haaland announced the advancement of 15 new renewable energy projects in the western U.S., including a 500 MW photovoltaic facility in Riverside County, which was fully operational Friday, as well as another solar energy facility in Riverside County set to generate 364 MW. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is also expected to announce the approval of 500 kV worth of transmission lines across 60 miles of public lands west of Phoenix. The administration has set a goal of 25 GW of onshore renewables on public lands by 2025. In a call with reporters, federal officials said that since 2021, BLM has approved 46 renewable projects on public lands, which are collectively expected to generate up to 11,236 MW.
California utility regulators are taking another two weeks to decide the fate of a much-criticized plan to regulate solar energy on properties with more than one electric meter. It is the third time regulators have put off making a decision on the controversial proposal. The revision of Virtual Net Energy Metering rules was part of the legislatively-mandated review of the state’s solar tariffs.
Arizona Public Service (APS) and Tucson Electric Power expect to add about 16 GW and 4 GW, respectively, of renewable energy, energy storage, and other resources over the next 15 years, according to integrated resource plans filed last Wednesday with the Arizona Corporation Commission. Under its resource planning roadmap, APS expects to add more than 6,000 MW of solar and wind power, coupled with about 2,000 MW of battery storage, by 2027.
Clean Power Alliance (CPA) has inked a 15-year power purchase agreement with Pattern Energy for 575 MW of wind energy from the SunZia Wind project in central New Mexico, which is scheduled to begin full construction later this year and achieve commercial operation in 2026. The wind power from the project will be carried over the SunZia Transmission Line, which will enable the delivery of power from SunZia Wind directly into the California Independent System Operator energy market.
Pacific Gas & Electric Co. (PG&E) and Pepperwood Preserve unveiled the state’s first fully renewable, stand-alone power system at the nonprofit group’s remote site in the Mayacamas Mountains on Monday — part of the utility’s push to eliminate last-mile distribution lines from especially fire-prone areas. The new remote, solar-powered system is owned by PG&E and will allow the utility to remove nearly three-fourths of a mile of overhead distribution lines that cascade down a wind-swept hillside.
D. E. Shaw Renewable Investments and Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) have announced that the Drew Solar project has reached commercial operation. Drew Solar is a 100 MW solar energy facility located in Imperial County, California. The facility began operating in December 2022. The facility is expected to generate enough clean energy to power approximately 30,000 homes each year, according to metrics provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Storage company Energy Vault, along with Wellhead Electric Company and W Power, announced that the Stanton Battery Energy Storage System is now fully online. The 68.8 MW/275.2 MWh battery system is located near the 98 MW SERC Hybrid Gas Turbine project in Stanton (northern Orange County).
Longroad Energy has closed financing and started construction on Sun Streams 4, a 377 MW photovoltaic solar and 1,200 MWh battery storage project. Sun Streams 4 is Longroad’s largest solar and storage project to date and the company’s third project in its Sun Streams complex, based in Maricopa County. Commercial operation for Sun Streams 4 is currently expected by mid-2025.
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