California is moving quickly to build one of the biggest clean energy projects ever. The state’s Energy Commission has given the green light to the Darden Clean Energy Project, which will be the largest battery energy storage system in the world. It’s also the first project to get fast-track approval through a new state program called the Opt-In Certification Program created to help California switch fully to clean energy by 2045.
The Darden Project will bring together solar power and battery storage on a huge scale. It will use about three million solar panels to produce 1.1 gigawatts of solar energy. The power will be stored in a massive 4,600 megawatt (MW) battery system, which can supply electricity to around 850,000 households for about four hours, ideal for times when the sun goes down or energy demand is high.
Located in western Fresno County, the project will cover a tract of land measuring 9,500 acres that can no longer support farming activities. It will be connected to the PG&E electricity grid and developed by IP Darden, a company owned by Intersect Power, which is based in San Francisco. Intersect Power already manages several solar and battery storage projects and plans to invest around $9 billion in expanding its clean energy operations in 2025.
Besides supporting green energy, the Darden project also aims to give back to the community. It is slated to create over 2,000 jobs in the construction phase, which could last for 1.5-3 years. The company has also promised to invest two million dollars in local causes over the coming 10 years, starting with $320,000 for Centro La Familia, a not-for-profit group that supports rural families.
After a serious fire at another battery plant in 2024, California began improving its fire safety rules for battery systems. A new bill, AB 303, an Act enacted to enhance accountability and safety in BESS installations, was introduced to place limits on where big battery facilities can be built, especially near homes or sensitive areas.
Even with these concerns, battery storage is expanding quickly. In 2023, the U.S. saw a 98% boost in new grid-scale battery installations. California leads the nation with over 200 large systems and more than 250,000 small ones.
Gov. Gavin Newsom called the Darden Project a major win for clean energy, jobs, and local communities, marking a bold step toward a reliable, green power future.
This rapidly-expanding market for BESS facilities strongly suggests that other industry players, such as SolarBank Corp. (NASDAQ: SUUN) (Cboe CA: SUNN) (FSE: GY2) have a huge potential market to serve over the coming decades if they position themselves appropriately in the markets showing the greatest potential.
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