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The California Energy Commission (CEC) has recently approved a substantial solar-storage project, marking a significant milestone for renewable energy in the state. This decision was made during a regular business meeting, where all five CEC commissioners unanimously endorsed Intersect Power’s Darden Clean Energy Project (DCEP).
Commissioner Noemí Gallardo highlighted the project’s community-focused approach, stating, “This project exemplifies a community-focused approach that advances the state’s energy goals while creating benefits for local workers and residents.”
The DCEP will feature a 1.15GW/4.6GWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) paired with a 1.15GW solar PV farm, spanning 9,500 acres in Western Fresno County. Initially, plans for DCEP included up to 800MW of electrolyzer capacity, positioning it as California’s largest green hydrogen producer, but those hydrogen plans were dropped late last year. The CEC has claimed that the BESS at DCEP will be the largest in the world, although given the construction timeline of up to three years, it may not hold this title for long. For instance, AES Corporation recently completed the first 500MW phase of its Bellefield Solar and Storage project in Kern County, which will reach a total battery storage capacity of 4GWh when fully operational.
The opt-in certification scheme, established under California Governor Gavin Newsom’s Assembly Bill (AB) 205, expanded the CEC’s permitting authority to include BESS projects over 200MWh. While the CEC engages with local communities during the review process, the final decision rests with the state energy regulator, leading to some controversy. Recent reports indicated significant opposition to a standalone BESS proposal from Engie, with a public meeting drawing over five hours of negative feedback. Some lawmakers, including Assemblymember Dawn Addis, attempted to limit the CEC’s authority over BESS projects following a major battery fire at the Moss Landing Energy Storage Facility in January. However, their proposed legislation did not progress past the initial reading.
During the CEC meeting, Executive Director Drew Bohan noted that the decision to approve DCEP followed an exhaustive nine-month review process, including multiple site visits and community engagement meetings. The CEC staff concluded that any impacts from the project could be mitigated to a less than significant level, and the project met all requirements of AB 205.
Additionally, the Fresno County Fire Department (FCFD) has introduced a series of “fire mitigation payments” for developers of solar and BESS projects. Given the scale of DCEP, Intersect Power faces substantial costs, including upfront payments of $10.35 million and annual payments totaling $120 million over the project’s lifetime. FCFD Assistant Chief Andy Cosentino clarified that the payment structure is based on a comprehensive evaluation of all proposed projects in Fresno County. Although the CEC initially approved funding for DARDEN, they later proposed binding arbitration as an alternative for determining mitigation payments.
In conclusion, while the Darden Clean Energy Project represents a significant advancement in California’s renewable energy landscape, it also highlights ongoing challenges in community engagement, regulatory authority, and fire safety concerns associated with large-scale energy storage systems.
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Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/california-energy-commission-approves-landmark-4-6gwh-solar-storage-project/
