CleanTechnica•about 2 months ago
21 Gigawatts of Solar for California Land That Can No Longer Be Used for Agriculture
Key Takeaway
This unprecedented 21 GW solar development in California signals a major shift in land use for renewable energy, creating immense opportunities and challenges for developers, grid operators, and large power consumers in the CAISO market.
AI Summary
- •California's Westlands Water District plans to develop up to 21 GW of solar power plants on agricultural land in the San Joaquin Valley that can no longer sustain irrigated farming.
- •This massive solar initiative represents a significant opportunity for solar developers, equipment manufacturers, and EPC firms targeting the CAISO market.
- •The project leverages underutilized land, potentially setting a precedent for similar land-use conversions in water-stressed agricultural regions across the US.
- •Such a large-scale solar deployment could profoundly impact CAISO's energy mix, wholesale power prices, and grid stability, necessitating substantial transmission and interconnection planning.
Topics
caisofinancinginterconnectpolicyppasolartransmission
Article Content
There’s a water district in San Joaquin Valley in California where there’s empty land that “can no longer sustain irrigated agriculture.” The Westlands Water District board of directors have decided on a plan for this land. They are going to have solar power plants built there — perhaps 21 gigawatts ... [continued] The post 21 Gigawatts of Solar for California Land That Can No Longer Be Used for Agriculture appeared first on CleanTechnica .