Solar developer Renewable Properties said it broke ground yesterday on a 3-MW solar array that it is building in Napa County. Marin Clean Energy (MCE), California’s first community-choice aggregator (CCA) will purchase the energy produced by the array, called the American Canyon Solar Project, through a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA).
Located on approximately 21 acres, the American Canyon Solar Project will utilize horizontal single-axis tracking solar photovoltaic (PV) technology and is expected to be complete by July.
The project will benefit from MCE’s feed-in tariff under its FIT Plus Projects, which offers a price of $80 per MWh for peak, baseload and intermittent energy.
CCA’s offer customers more options for energy. Through a CCA, a city or municipality procures energy for residents who opt to buy it through the CCA rather than through their utility.
MCE is a load-serving entity supporting ~1,000 MW peak load. It provides electricity service to approximately 470,000 customer accounts and more than 1 million residents and businesses in 34 communities across 4 Bay Area counties: Napa, Marin, Contra Costa and Solano. MCE’s mission is to reduce energy-related greenhouse gas emissions, expand access to affordable and clean energy, and create local economic and workforce benefits.
“We’re grateful to Renewable Properties not only for investing in clean, renewable solar energy but for partnering with the Workforce Alliance of the North Bay to provide experience and local green-collar job opportunities to Napa County residents,” said Dawn Weisz, CEO of MCE. “By turning to sources like solar for Napa’s first Feed-In Tariff project, together we build a clean and secure energy future for California.”
Aaron Halimi, President of Renewable Properties added, “American Canyon Solar represents the first of multiple in-service area projects with MCE, and we look forward to working with them to make this and other projects a success.”
