Peninsula Clean Energy Enters Second Solar Plus Storage Agreement

by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
November 17, 2021

California community choice aggregator (CCA) Peninsula Clean Energy has entered into its second 15-year agreement to procure solar and battery storage from a single project.

Peninsula Clean Energy reached a power purchase agreement with Arica Solar LLC, that includes 100 megawatts (MW) of solar and 50 MW (200 megawatt hours) of four-hour lithium-ion battery storage.

The project, which will be developed and owned by Clearway Energy Group, is expected to be operational on or around April 1, 2024.

It is the second solar-plus-storage power purchase agreement Peninsula Clean Energy has reached, following a 15-year deal signed in September with Leeward Renewable Energy involving 102 MW of solar and 52 MW of battery storage from the Chaparral Solar Facility in Kern County.

The location of the Arica Solar project in Riverside County, Calif., was chosen in consultation with environmental activists to avoid harm to area species and habitat.

Peninsula Clean Energy is the official electricity provider for San Mateo County and, beginning in 2022, for the City of Los Banos.

Founded in 2016, the agency serves 295,000 customers by providing more than 3,500 gigawatt hours annually of electricity.

Peninsula Clean Energy is on track to deliver electricity that is 100 percent renewable by 2025. The agency has earned investment grade credit ratings from Moody’s and Fitch.

The American Public Power Association has initiated a new category of membership for community choice aggregation programs.