Capital Dynamics, an independent global private asset management firm, and First Solar announced on May 28 the completion and commercial operation of the 280-megawatt ACCalifornia Flats Solar Project.
The project is located on approximately 2,900 acres of ranch land within the Jack Ranch owned by the Hearst family, near the borders of San Luis Obispo County and Monterey County in California.
The project, which covers approximately 3 percent of the area of the ranch, was built in two phases and is fully contracted under two long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) serving both utility and corporate renewable customers. First Solar completed development and constructed the facility after acquiring the project in 2015. Capital Dynamics acquired the project from First Solar in August 2017.
The project supports and complements the sustainable cattle operation of the ranch, which provides grass-fed beef to Whole Foods Market’s Southern Pacific region, reducing pressure to use the ranch land for other commercial purposes.
The project is powered by First Solar’s high-performance thin film technology, including Series 6 modules, which deliver a combination of performance, reliability and eco-efficiency. The Series 6 modules, manufactured by First Solar in the United States, have approximately half the carbon footprint of conventional crystalline silicon PV panels, delivering the smallest environmental footprint and the fastest energy payback time of any PV technology.
