Sunpin Solar in Irvine has taken another step forward in Southern California’s push for clean energy.
The solar developer company has signed a deal to sell the power that will be produced from its Titan Solar 1 Power Plant in Imperial County, which is scheduled to go into service next month.
The company last month announced a renewable energy power purchase agreement with a utility company for the full output of the Titan Solar 1 Power Plant, which began construction in January. The company’s solar-powered photovoltaic panels convert the sun’s rays into electricity.
The plant, 150 miles from Irvine, will produce enough electricity to power about 27,000 homes per year, Sunpin Chief Financial Officer Kelly Lloyd said on Oct. 22.
The project is in the “utility scale” range, meaning the cost is between $100 million to $250 million, Lloyd said. He confirmed the purchaser of the power is a utility, but he said he could not disclose the name nor any financial details.
“We have other projects in that area. The plan is to continue to build and support jobs in southern California in renewable energy,” Lloyd said.
Sunpin Solar, formed in 2012, acquires, develops and finances utility-scale solar projects in the U.S. It was ranked as a 2019 Top 3 Solar Developer in the United States by trade publication Solar Power World.
Sunpin is a utility-scale developer, meaning it generates solar power and feeds it into a grid, supplying a utility with energy. China National Building Material Co. of Beijing is a long-term partner, the company says.
Ribbon Cutting
Lloyd said the formal ribbon cutting would likely be in January or February, after the plant goes into operation in December.
The renewable energy PPA covers the full 98-megawatt (DC)/70-megatwatt (AC) capacity of the solar project.
The Titan Solar 1 Power Plant is on 420 acres of land between the Salton Sea and the Anza Borrego Desert State Park.
It is connected to the Imperial Irrigation District (IID) utility grid and has delivery capability into the California Independent System Operator territory.
Second Project
This is Sunpin Solar’s second utility-scale solar project in IID, following the successful completion of operation of the 75-MW (AC) ColGreen North Shore project in 2018. In addition to these two projects Sunpin also has a portfolio of additional solar plus storage projects under development in IID and Imperial County.
“Sunpin is committed to generating more tax revenues, creating more jobs and bringing more local benefits to the community,” said X.J. Chen, the company’s vice president of development.
The Titan Solar 1 project created over 300 local jobs at the peak of construction, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. There has been a cohesive effort to complete the project on schedule while keeping its workers safe, the company said.
The project is expected to provide annual environmental benefits through a reduction in carbon-dioxide emissions by over 150,000 tons and preserving the equivalent of 200,000 acres of U.S. forests.
