First large-scale solar energy and storage system to be built on Peninsula - Palo Alto Online

Nov 13, 2024

This story was written by Sana Dadani, a student in the Stanford Journalism Program. Dadani produced this story for a news reporting class.

Santa Clara County will soon have a large solar energy system in its own backyard.

VCI Energy, a newcomer to the renewable energy industry, will develop the first large-scale solar energy and storage infrastructure in the county.

Silicon Valley Clean Energy, a public agency that provides clean electricity to homes and businesses throughout Santa Clara County, will purchase the renewable energy generated from the new system – a decision the agency’s Board of Directors approved during its meeting in October.

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The agency currently procures its clean energy from other renewable energy systems spread throughout the western United States. With the new agreement, the Peninsula would have its closest solar energy generating system yet. The closest existing renewable energy systems are in Alameda County and San Francisco County.

The system would also be the first agrivoltaic project in the area, growing plants or livestock beneath, between or near rows of solar panels.

“This looks like the future to me,” said Elliot Scozzola, a Campbell city councilmember who sits on the board, referencing a rendering of an agrivoltaic project. “What is this? Star Trek? I love it.”

The new system would generate 50MW of solar energy, which is enough to power nearly 36,000 homes in one year. The project also includes an energy storage system that would store excess solar energy generated in the form of a 50MW battery with four hours of capacity.

The project’s location just outside the city of Gilroy in unincorporated Santa Clara County could be a noisy disruption for nearby residents during the construction phase..

In response to how potential disruptions would be handled, the agency deferred all questions to the developer, adding contracts are only made with developers that follow local construction and permitting requirements and environmental policies.

“While the solar and battery storage facility is expected to be quiet once online, SVCE is hopeful that the community will see the benefits of the project beyond the clean energy it will provide, including local jobs and economic benefits,” the power procurement team at Silicon Valley Clean Energy said.

The new system is expected to increase Silicon Valley Clean Energy’s resources from solar energy by 4%. It would also help the agency meet a statewide target mandated by Senate Bill 100 which requires renewable energy and zero-carbon resources to supply 100% of electric retail sales by 2045.

VCI Energy will finish developing the infrastructure by 2029, after which the power generator will be fully active. Silicon Valley Clean Energy is expected to pay $138 million across 10 years for energy generated from the system. The agency said it will use revenue it makes from its electricity services to pay the $138 million.

“What a beautiful new utopia we’re creating,” Scozzola said.