EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (KERO) — Utilizing the solar to energy the photo voltaic system. It feels like one thing out of this world however really, it occurred at Edwards Air Drive Base.
At this time 4,600 acres are used for photo voltaic panels to harness the intense desert solar that shines above them. Simon Day, vice chairman and head of photo voltaic improvement at Terra-Gen, mentioned the desert is ripe for the venture.
“The place we’re within the Mojave is likely one of the sunniest locations within the nation,” he mentioned. “So constructing photo voltaic here’s a win-win.”
That vivid solar can produce extra photo voltaic vitality at a decrease value than different areas such because the north. This makes the concept of constructing one of many nation’s largest photo voltaic farms much more enticing at Edwards Air Drive Base.
“Strengthening the grid is a vital ingredient,” Day mentioned. “When you’ve got that a lot photo voltaic and storage in that space, the grid in that area is stabilized and there is much less likelihood of blackouts and brownouts in that space.”
Day mentioned the multimillion-dollar venture has already made a distinction in Jap Kern, bringing hundreds of building jobs over the previous two years. With its lease, the venture is predicted to deliver $100 million in property tax income to the communities of Rosamond, Mojave and Lancaster.
“That is one of many explanation why Edwards Air Drive Base is supporting the venture on its land,” Day mentioned. “The lease income, which is able to whole greater than $75.8 million over its lifetime, will go on to Edwards Air Drive Base to proceed its base operations.”
The venture began two years in the past with the development of practically 2 million photo voltaic panels. These panels will produce 971 megawatts of vitality storage and 807 megawatts of photo voltaic. In whole, the photo voltaic farm will produce as much as 1,300 megawatts of photo voltaic vitality.
“On September 5, that night time, California skilled one of many largest and most intense warmth waves in its historical past. The California Unbiased System Operator, which operates the grid, was in a position to name on greater than 3,300 megawatts of vitality storage throughout that point,” Day defined. “The Edward Sanborn Photo voltaic Undertaking, it has 971 MW of vitality storage itself so it can for the subsequent yr have an enormous contribution to the steadiness of the grid within the space.”
This venture can be constructed on miles of desert habitat for endangered Joshua bushes. Whereas the venture was authorized earlier than the species was formally granted short-term endangered standing, subsequent Environmental Affect Reviews are required earlier than building begins.
In response to the Water Division’s EIP findings, whereas many impacts have been famous, any important impacts have been decreased to a “negligible stage by means of mitigation measures.” The report states that after reviewing residual impacts, DWR discovered that “residual unavoidable impacts of the proposed venture are an appropriate environmental value as a consequence of environmental, financial, authorized, social, technological and different venture advantages.” So a “taking allow” was granted – permitting the elimination of Joshua bushes below a mitigation plan. A part of that plan contains offering greater than $3 million in funding for added safety of Joshua bushes.
Sanborn Photo voltaic EIR
The realm for the venture additionally contains areas vital to the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians and the Tejon Indian Tribe. Each are given stakeholder engagement in initiatives.
“We’re working with the tribes to keep away from some areas which can be extra culturally delicate and vital, and scale back a number of the areas that we have to construct. So they’re the primary stakeholders in the entire course of,” mentioned Day. “Kern County, and in addition the Air Drive’s course of for renewables and the surroundings is a vital half by way of engaged on any vital organic work or different cultural areas.”
Day mentioned the venture additionally brings the state nearer to reaching its clear vitality targets, serving to to offset fossil fuels along with offering vitality throughout emergencies to forestall rolling blackouts and brownouts. .
Edwards Air Drive Base is now on board with different communities equivalent to Tehachapi, which produces greater than 2,000 megawatts of wind energy by means of its wind farm. Day mentioned the vitality is injected into the identical substation and because the wind within the space is stronger principally at night time whereas photo voltaic produces vitality all through the day, the 2 initiatives praise one another.
