Goldman activates 390MW of PV and 561MWh of storage in California

The renewable power division of Goldman Sachs said it has begun commercial operations at its Slate solar and energy storage project in California.

(Picture form internet)

The 390MW solar and 140.25MW/561MWh battery storage facility is one of the largest in the state. Development of the project began in 2015, initially by Recurrent Energy, a subsidiary of photovoltaic manufacturer Canadian Solar.

The Kings County Solar Facility has five power purchase agreements (PPAs) with various organizations in California: Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), Stanford University and the Public Power and Water Authority (PWRPA). PWRPA's energy demand fluctuates from 20MW to 120MW from winter to summer, consuming 290GWh to 520GWh of energy annually to transport, treat and recycle water for growers and consumers.

Stanford University said it recently achieved 100 percent renewable energy operations. The university aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

The project's PPA also serves Central Coast Community Energy and Silicon Valley Clean Energy. Both organizations offer opt-in contracts for customers who want to add some renewable energy generation to their electricity bills.

The project is expected to provide enough electricity for 126,000 homes in California, displacing about 369,310 metric tons of carbon annually in the process. Over the past year, the project employed 405 workers during peak construction, 90 percent of whom were residents of the local King County. Skilled artisans from local unions were hired to build.