Tesla Megapack is powering a solar project in Riverside County, California. The 250 MW/1 GWh battery energy storage facility is located adjacent to the farm, supplying electricity to 207,000 homes per year.
Intersect Power said it has achieved commercial operation of its Oberon solar project in California, according to PV Magazine. The facility includes 500 MW (AC) solar arrays and adjacent 250 MW/1 GWh Tesla Megapack battery energy storage units. This is a powerful project that is one of the largest solar power plants in the United States. It is large enough to power more than 207,000 homes a year.
In line with the Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) priorities for using domestic content in solar projects, the Oberon project consists of Ohio-based First Solar modules, US-based Nextracker’s NX Horizon trackers, and US-made structural steel. The energy storage units consist of batteries from Tesla’s battery plant in Lathrop, California.
The Oberon project is also the first to implement the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) simplified plan for storing renewable energy in the desert. The plan set aside more than 10 million acres of conservation and recreational lands and identified priority areas for renewable energy development. The plan is the result of six years of collaboration between the federal government, environmental groups, Indian tribes, the renewable energy industry, utilities, and members of the public.
“[The project is] a case study in how the clean energy industry can maximize project benefits by prioritizing domestic supply chains and union labor to ensure the rewards of the clean energy transition are felt by all Americans,” said Intersect Power chief executive officer, Sheldon Kimber. “This project demonstrates that Intersect continues to pioneer procurement standards for our industry that live up to the vision of the IRA and deliver transformative clean energy projects that move the needle on the deep decarbonization of our economy.”
Energy, Renewable Energy Credits, and Resource Adequacy generated by the Oberon project will be purchased by a combination of offtakers including Calpine Energy Solutions, Constellation, Ava Community Energy (formerly East Bay Community Energy), Microsoft, and San Diego Community Power.
