First Solar has signed two 15-year power purchase agreements to sell with Community Choice Aggregators (CCAs), Monterey Bay Community Power (MBCP), and Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE).

Under the agreement, the agencies will buy electricity from the Rabbitbrush solar project developed by First Solar in Kern County, California.

The 100-megawatt AC photovoltaic solar plant, scheduled to be completed in the second quarter of 2022, will also have 20MW of battery storage capacity, capable of delivering electricity for 2.5 hours.

“We are delighted to partner with First Solar to add to our growing solar generation and battery storage portfolio. Responsibly developed to minimize its impact on the ecosystem, and powered by the most eco-efficient solar technology available today, this project mirrors our own commitments to sustainability and the communities we serve.”

Tom Habashi, CEO of MBCP.

First Solar’s proprietary thin-film module technology will power the project. This technology is a result of over $1 billion in cumulative R&D spend.

“We are thrilled that Rabbitbrush Solar will help deliver clean electricity to Santa Clarans with photovoltaic technology that was developed in Santa Clara by First Solar. Our customers have made an important choice in selecting carbon-free energy, and we are looking forward to adding this project to our long-term efforts to cut energy-related emissions in line with our decarbonization commitments.”

Girish Balachandran, CEO, SVCE.

The facility will generate enough electricity to power 45.000 homes while displacing 62.000 metric tons of CO2 annually.