Large Solar Power + Energy Storage Projects Completed at Fresno Department of Public Utilities

Join CleanTechnica’s Weekly Substack for Zach and Scott’s in-depth analyses and high level summariesjoin our daily newsletterand/or follow us on Google News!

The Metropolis of Fresno recently celebrated the completion of a number of solar energy and power storage tasks, which might save taxpayers over $122 million by 2045. The mission developer is ForeFront Power. Fresno has about 300 days of sunshine per 12 months and daylight is a free supply of fresh, renewable power. For a little bit further context, Fresno has over 540,000 individuals.

Right here at CleanTechnicawe now have reported about many massive or very massive photo voltaic and energy storage projects. This pairing, or wind energy and power storage, is the current and future answer as a result of it solves the “intermittency” downside. In some unspecified time in the future, there gained’t be one as a result of power storage, together with long-duration power storage, is so extensively accessible, cost-effective, and in use. In some instances, as we see right here, it’s already current and lively.

Remind Davis, Senior Undertaking Supervisor AT ForeFront Poweranswered some questions in regards to the new photo voltaic and power storage set up for CleanTechnica.

What’s the solar energy capability for the entire portfolio?

Your complete Metropolis of Fresno DPU photo voltaic power and battery storage portfolio is 27 megawatt-DC (MW-DC).

What’s the power storage capability?

The Fresno DPU photo voltaic and storage portfolio incorporates a complete of 4.3 MW-AC of battery storage.

What’s the battery chemistry for the batteries?

They’re lithium-ion Tesla batteries on the Fresno-Clovis Regional Wastewater Reclamation Facility system, and Sungrow batteries on the Northeast and Southeast Floor Water Therapy Facility methods.

Will the batteries solely retailer electrical energy from solar energy?

Sure, the batteries are devoted to storing electrical energy from the photo voltaic power methods. The batteries’ operate is to carry out “peak shaving” — to discharge power in periods of peak demand from the ability as a way to keep out of the very best/most costly pricing tiers of shopping for energy from the grid.

What’s the solar energy capability and power storage capability at every website?

The Fresno-Clovis Regional Wastewater Reclamation Facility system incorporates 17.3 MW-DC of photo voltaic capability and a pair of.3 MW-AC/4 MWh of battery storage.

The Northeast Floor Water Therapy Facility system incorporates 1.7 MW-DC of photo voltaic capability and 1 MW-AC/2 MWh of battery storage.

The Southeast Floor Water Therapy Facility system incorporates 3.8 MW-DC of photo voltaic capability and 1 MW-AC/2 MWh of battery storage.

What number of houses will be powered by the entire solar energy portfolio?

Mixed, the DPU tasks will generate 46,992,352 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electrical energy every year, which is sufficient to energy the annual electrical energy use of 8,173 houses.

How a lot estimated financial savings will there be for the entire portfolio over the upcoming many years?

At a time of rising electrical energy prices, these DPU tasks are projected to avoid wasting the Metropolis over $122 million in taxpayer {dollars} by 2045.

Who will profit from the financial savings?

Growing distributed renewable power options like this photo voltaic and storage portfolio signifies that Fresno is much less depending on costly and high-polluting fossil gasoline energy crops to satisfy electrical demand. That interprets to decrease power prices for the Metropolis, decrease electrical energy payments for ratepayers, and cleaner air for Metropolis of Fresno residents.

By integrating solar energy and power storage, DPU amenities lower their reliance on pricey grid electrical energy, resulting in decrease power payments. These financial savings might be handed on to ratepayers, whereas additionally decreasing the ability’s carbon footprint and enhancing its power resilience.

What number of jobs had been created throughout the set up course of?

The DPU’s “behind-the-meter” portfolio was constructed by native union labor from the IBEW Native 100, creating 120 native jobs within the course of.

What was the price of the portfolio?

The Metropolis of Fresno procured its photo voltaic power tasks with no upfront prices by leveraging the Renewable Vitality Aggregated Procurement (“REAP”) Program. The REAP Program is managed by SPURR, a joint powers authority devoted to serving to the California public sector management and cut back utility bills.

REAP offers public sector patrons with pre-negotiated contracts, industry-leading pricing, and standardized phrases. Via REAP’s built-in RFP course of and Energy Buy Settlement (PPA), The Metropolis of Fresno chosen ForeFront Energy to develop, finance, and assemble its photo voltaic and power storage portfolio.

Below the phrases of the PPA, ForeFront Energy develops, owns, and maintains the photo voltaic power portfolio and costs the Metropolis a set, below-market price for electrical energy, which is locked in for the 20-year period of the settlement. The PPA construction enabled the Metropolis to develop its mission at no upfront value and with out utilizing bond funds.

In return, the Metropolis achieves a low, mounted price for electrical energy in addition to finances certainty by avoiding utility price will increase for many years to come back. In the meantime, ForeFront Energy will proceed to function and keep the system for the lifetime of the mission, making certain manufacturing and price financial savings are delivered.

How a lot CO2 might be prevented by utilizing the photo voltaic and power storage?

The DPU’s mixed photo voltaic and storage portfolio won’t solely preserve taxpayer {dollars} but in addition helps the Metropolis of Fresno keep away from over 26,000 tons of CO2 emissions every year, which is equal to the GHG emissions from over 6,000 gas-powered passenger automobiles yearly. Meaning much less air air pollution and cleaner air for metropolis residents.