Power Plant in Kern County, Providing Clean Energy to L.A., Now Completely Operational
In a significant stride towards a greener future, the Eland Solar-plus-Storage Project, located in Mojave, California, is now supplying Los Angeles and Glendale with renewable energy. This project, developed by Arizona-based Arevon Energy, is a testament to the potential of solar paired with battery storage as the cheapest source of energy, both with and without tax credits, according to Kevin Smith, CEO of Arevon.
The Eland project, spanning over 4,600 acres and comprising two phases (Eland 1 and Eland 2), generates a combined capacity of 758 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) generation and 1,200 MWh of battery storage. This massive facility includes approximately 1.36 million solar panels and 172 lithium iron phosphate batteries, showcasing one of the largest solar-plus-storage centers in the country.
The project's primary contribution lies in its ability to generate enough renewable power to supply more than 266,000 homes and meet 7% of the city’s total energy demand. This significant supply helps push Los Angeles' clean energy share beyond 60%, marking a crucial milestone in the city's clean energy transition.
By supplying a substantial portion of LA’s electricity, Eland reduces reliance on fossil fuels and supports the city’s commitment to achieve 98% clean energy by 2030 and 100% by 2035. The project's low-cost generation and storage—averaging about 4 cents per kilowatt hour—makes it the lowest-cost project in the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's (DWP) portfolio.
The Eland project also contributes to the local economy by creating around 1,000 construction jobs and generating more than $36 million in local government payments over its lifetime. Moreover, the batteries in the Eland project allow for storing solar electricity for use after the sun sets, ensuring a consistent energy supply.
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has committed to a 25-year, $1.5 billion contract for the power generated by the Eland project, with an option to buy the facility outright as early as year 10. This long-term commitment underscores the city's dedication to a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.
As the world grapples with increasing electricity demand, particularly for data centers, the rapid delivery of solar projects like Eland is proving crucial. The Eland project, which took about two years to complete once construction began, contrasts sharply with the several years typically required for nuclear or natural gas projects.
In addition to its local impact, the Eland project is expected to avoid emissions equivalent to about 120,000 cars, according to company officials. This reduction in emissions brings the city of Los Angeles one step closer to its goal of eliminating climate-changing emissions from burning natural gas or coal.
Looking ahead, the Eland project pushes the city's total supply to 64% clean energy, a significant step towards Los Angeles' ambitious goal of 100% clean energy by 2035. Meanwhile, the Avina project in Vernon, set to open in the fall, will be one of the largest hydrogen production and dispensing facilities in the country, further bolstering the city's renewable energy efforts.
References:
- Los Angeles Times
- Solar Power World
- Greentech Media
- Utility Dive
- Renewable Energy Magazine
- The Eland Solar-plus-Storage Project, situated in Mojave, California, is supplying Los Angeles and Glendale with renewable energy, setting an example for climate-change mitigation efforts.
- The project, spearheaded by Arevon Energy, showcases the potential of solar energy paired with battery storage as the cheapest source of energy, even without tax credits, according to Kevin Smith, CEO of Arevon.
- In Hollywood, Envision Hollywood, a group advocating for a green Los Angeles, admires the Eland project and calls for more environmental-science-based legislation to support renewable-energy industries.
- The finance sector, too, is taking notice; some budget-conscious business leaders in Los Angeles are exploring investments in solar and other renewable-energy technologies as a means of combating climate change and improving global opinion on California's climate-change stance.
- To meet its ambitious goal of 100% clean energy by 2035, Los Angeles is looking beyond solar projects like Eland; Avina, a hydrogen production and dispensing facility in Vernon, is expected to further bolster the city's renewable energy efforts.
- As the transportation sector contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, lawmakers in California are considering policies that encourage the adoption of electric vehicles and promote green infrastructure projects, like bike lanes and public-transportation improvements.
- The science community believes that implementing renewable-energy projects and reducing emissions are crucial to addressing climate change and ensuring a sustainable future, offering new research and innovations to further advance these efforts.
- Despite the successes of projects like Eland, proponents of clean energy stress that more action is needed to reduce California's reliance on fossil fuels and avoid the catastrophic impacts of climate change on both the environment and the economy.
