BAKERSFIELD – Four solar photovoltaic (PV) projects in eastern Kern County are going on line, part of a group of six partially owned by Google Inc. and the private equity company KKR.
Recurrent Energy is the manager of the six fields of solar panels, one of which is in Arizona.
Together, they will generate 106 megawatts peak (MWp)/88 megawatts AC, enough clean solar electricity to power more than 17,000 U.S. homes.
“These six solar projects represent tremendous collaboration with county officials, the local communities, wildlife agencies and power utilities,” says Sheldon Kimber, COO of Recurrent Energy. “Working with these key stakeholders where these projects are sited helps move us into a new era of clean and affordable power.”
Four of the six projects are located in Kern County, bone is located in the city of Adelanto, and the sixth is located in Maricopa County, Ariz. In aggregate, the six projects created more than 500 jobs during the construction phase alone.
“Kern County is quickly becoming the renewable energy center for California, and we welcome the economic and environmental benefits that solar investment can deliver to our communities,” says Kern County Supervisor Zack Scrivner. “We are proud to have contributed to 55 megawatts of clean solar power being brought online.”
“At Google we believe that investing in renewable energy is good for business and good for the environment,” says Kojo Ako-Asare, Google’s head of corporate finance. “We’re pleased that these facilities have come online, generating both energy and jobs for the local community.”
Full story by CVBT staff at centralvalleybusinesstimes.com.
