8minutenergy Renewables recently signed a 27-year contract to sell 25 MW of clean, renewable solar energy from its Hayworth Solar Farm project in Kern County, Calif., to the City of Palo Alto Utilities, which serves Palo Alto, Calif.
“This PPA will power thousands of homes and businesses in Palo Alto, and help our City meet its goal to have a 100% renewable electric supply,” says Valerie Fong, City of Palo Alto Utilities Director.
The transaction was conducted with 65HK 8me, a subsidiary based 8minutenergy Renewables. 8minutenergy will develop, build and operate the Hayworth Solar Farm.
The Hayworth Solar Farm project is a utility-scale solar generation facility sited on up to 200 acres of low-productivity farmland. Construction is projected to begin in late 2014, with the site expected to be operational and delivering renewable energy to the City of Palo Alto by mid-2015. This clean solar generation plant will displace the equivalent of approximately 70,500 tons of CO2 per year.
“The annual production of approximately 63 million kWhs of electricity by Hayworth Solar Farm will generate clean renewable solar energy that will power nearly 12,000 households in one of the most progressive cities in the country,” says Tom Buttgenbach, president of 8minutenergy Renewables.
“Hayworth Solar Farm will create approximately 200 direct and 150 indirect jobs during construction in Kern County, and contribute to the local economy,” adds Martin Hermann, CEO of 8minutenergy Renewables.
The solar power system for Hayworth Solar Farm will be comprised of state-of-the-art solar photovoltaic modules, related power electronics, and other components including an advanced tracking system that follows the sun to maximize energy production. The PPA contract is pending approval from the California Public Utilities Commission.
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