Renewable America (RNA) has achieved mechanical completion for its Fallon Two Rock Road Solar Farm in the Petaluma area of Marin County, California. The Fallon project will produce an estimated 2,300 MWh/year as part of the Marin Clean Energy (MCE) portfolio.
The Fallon project uses fixed tilt and bifacial modules with 1.45 MWdc capacity, and the Marin County community will become more energy-independent and less vulnerable to supply disruptions through this distributed solar generation.
The project is financed through Sunwest Bank with a sale leaseback structure, allowing RNA to maintain the project through its entire lifecycle.
“We’re thrilled to reach this milestone with one of our 40 projects and are excited to further contribute to California’s clean energy portfolio targets,” said Ardi Arian, president and CEO of RNA, a provider of local small utility-scale solar + storage and multi-customer community microgrid projects in California. “This deal also marks the inception of fruitful partnerships with both Sunwest Bank and MCE, and we look forward to future opportunities to collaborate with other Community Choice Aggregators.”
California is striving to secure 90% of its electricity from renewable and zero-carbon energy by 2035. RNA’s commitment to the clean energy transition is demonstrated through its solar + storage projects, optimized to enhance grid resiliency. The company has committed to sourcing a portion of its workforce from within the local community, supporting job creation and contributing to economic growth in Marin County.
RNA also obtained a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) exemption permitting the construction of the photovoltaic facility, and was one of the first developers approved for agricultural compatible land use under the Williamson Act contract in Marin County. Specifically, the site will occupy only 3.6% of the parcel’s total acreage and retain the natural state of the remainder. As part of RNA’s Ag Management plan, monitored sheep grazing will take place around the solar facility, and the county will evaluate the area on an ongoing basis, ensuring the land usage is environmentally beneficial across the board.
“As we’re focused on transforming the energy landscape across California, we have a strong sense of guardianship for the local communities in our purview, including its citizens, workforce and environmental landscape,” Arian said.
— Solar Builder magazine
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