Panoche Valley Solar Farm
CountryUnited States
LocationPanoche Valley, San Benito County
Coordinates36°37′N 120°52′W / 36.62°N 120.87°W / 36.62; -120.87
StatusOperational
Construction beganApril 2016
Commission dateJanuary 2018[1]
Construction costapproximately $1 billion
Owner(s)Panoche Valley Solar, LLC.
Solar farm
TypeFlat-panel PV
Site area1,300 acres (530 ha)
Power generation
Nameplate capacity130 MW[2]

Panoche Valley Solar Farm is a 130 megawatt (MW),[2] utility-scale solar photovoltaic power station in the Panoche Valley of Central California's San Benito County.[3] Panoche Valley is crossed by a 230-kilovolt (kV) power line from the Moss Landing Power Plant.[3]

Originally proposed by Solargen Energy (later known as Nevo Energy),[4][5] the project was purchased by PV2 Energy in April 2011, with Nevo Energy retaining a small equity interest, but no voting, governance or management input. In April 2012, PV2 Energy entered into a joint venture with Duke Energy, the largest utility in the United States. The project was eventually acquired by Con Edison in 2016.[6]

The project site consists of 4,717 acres (1,909 ha) of private land in the northern portion of the valley. It is used for pasture-based livestock grazing on native grassland habitat.[7] In October 2010, the San Benito County Board of Supervisors approved the company’s environmental impact report.[8][9] Originally proposed at 399 MW, the cost was estimated at approximately $1 billion.[10] The project faced lawsuits from three environmental groups who charged that project would harm native species such as the giant kangaroo rat, blunt-nosed leopard lizard, San Joaquin kit fox, and various bird species.[6] The project was downsized to 247 MW and eventually 130 MW in 2017 after a settlement was reached.[6][11] The plant started producing power in January 2018.[1] RWE acquired Con Edison's clean energy business in 2023.[12]

Electricity production

Generation (MW·h) of Panoche Valley Solar Farm [1]
YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
2018 7,12712,52612,77917,44620,20920,27120,58819,53323,13224,02418,21616,554 212,405
2019 16,69119,60328,96337,719

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Panoche Valley Solar Farm, Monthly". Electricity Data Browser. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
  2. 1 2 de Bertaut, Carmel (2018-11-06). "Panoche Valley Preserve Opens". BenitoLink. Retrieved 2019-07-11.
  3. 1 2 "Panoche Valley Solar Farm". San Benito County. Retrieved 2010-06-16.
  4. ↑ nevo energy inc (NEVE:OTC US)
  5. ↑ "Panoche Valley, California". Retrieved 2010-06-16.
  6. 1 2 3 Rogers, Paul (July 21, 2017). "Giant California solar project cut back after environmentalists oppose it". San Jose Mercury News.
  7. ↑ Richman, Marty (May 25, 2010). "Marty: Solargen must clear economic hurdles". Hollister Free Lance. Retrieved 2010-06-16.
  8. ↑ Weber, Gretchen (October 13, 2010). "Marty: San Benito PV Array Clears a Key Hurdle". KQED. Retrieved 2012-04-26.
  9. ↑ "DEIR", cosb.us/Solargen.
  10. ↑ Environmentalists Eclipse Solar Energy
  11. ↑ Chadwell, John. "Panoche Valley Solar Project money begins to reach county". Benitolink. Archived from the original on 9 April 2019.
  12. ↑ "RWE completes $6.8B acquisition of Con Edison Clean Energy Businesses".


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