The solar farms would generate enough electricity to power as many as 132,000 homes
The Biden administration has approved two major solar projects on federal land in California’s desert as part of efforts to counter climate change by shifting from fossil fuels.
The two approved solar projects, and a third for which approval is nearing completion, would generate about 1,000 megawatts (or 1 gigawatt of power), the Interior Department said. All three projects are in Riverside County, California.
The Arica and Victory Pass solar projects would generate up to 465 megawatts of power with up to 400 megawatts of battery storage, would power approximately 132,000 homes, according to the Interior Department. The combined projects would cost an estimated $689 million to build, according to the agency, which called them an “infrastructure investment.”
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) expects to approve the 500-megawatt Oberon solar project on 2,700 acres of public lands that would power nearly 142,000 homes.
“We will continue to work in partnership with states, cities, and Tribes to make historic investments in boosting climate resiliency, advancing clean energy projects, and replacing aging infrastructure” the Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland said.
“The efficient deployment of renewable energy projects will create good-paying jobs and are crucial in achieving the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035,” said BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning.
The two solar project facilities are being developed by San Francisco-based Clearway Energy Group, in California’s Riverside County.
“Clearway’s Arica Solar + Storage project represents our green energy future,” said Matt Langer, clean power alliance chief operating Officer. “The solar panels create 100% renewable energy during the daytime and the batteries store energy for use in the evening creating a reliable clean electricity to meet our customers’ high demand for renewable energy. Because it’s located in Riverside, it will create green jobs in the Southern California region.”
