The California Energy Commission (CEC) has approved the Darden Clean Energy Project, the first development to receive fast-track approval under its Opt-In Certification program. The project includes 1.1 GW of solar capacity and a battery energy storage system (BESS), designed to power 850,000 homes for four hours.
The California Energy Commission (CEC) approved the Darden Clean Energy Project, the first to be fast tracked under its Opt-In Certification program.
The CES said that this battery storage project is destined to be the largest in world. An up to 4,600 MW battery energy storage system (BESS) will be paired with a solar installation of 300 million solar modules providing 1.1 GW of solar, it will generate enough electricity to power 850,000 homes for four hours.
The Darden project, which is owned by IP Darden I, LLC, a subsidiary of Intersect Power, will connect to the PG&E grid and be located on 9,500 acres of land in western Fresno County that the CEC said is no longer able to support agricultural production.
The CEC’s Opt-In Certification Program that was authorized by Assembly Bill 205, passed in 2022, requires the CEC to review applications 30 days of the submission and make a determination of completeness. The CEC then has 270 days to complete the environmental review. This program was developed with a goal of achieving California’s mandate that all retail electric sales come from renewable energy and zero-carbon resources by 2045.
“The transition to 100 percent clean electricity by 2045 requires bold, utility-scale projects like Darden,” said CEC chair David Hochschild. “This project is significant not only for its size but its cutting-edge design and safety measures.”
Projects seeking approval through the Opt-In Certification program must pay prevailing wages and provide community and economic benefits. The Darden project is expected to employ more than 2,000 people during the construction period, which will last from 1.5 to 3 years. In addition, owners of the project have committed to $2 million in community investments over the next decade starting with a $320,000 commitment to Centro La Familia Advocacy Services, a non-profit supporting crime victims, family wellness, and civic engagement in rural communities.
“Today’s clean energy projects must do more than just deliver megawatts. They should create value in the communities where they’re built,” said CEC Commissioner Noemí Gallardo. “This project exemplifies a community-focused approach that advances the state’s energy goals while creating benefits for local workers and residents.”
According to the CEC, California leads the nation in battery storage, with more than 200 utility-scale battery energy storage systems and more than 250,000 commercial and residential systems statewide. Battery storage helps stabilize the grid by storing excess energy produced during peak production periods and discharging it when demand is high or generation drops, such as in the evening or in the event of a power outage. However, battery fires are a concern, such as the one in January at the Vistra Energy lithium battery plant in Moss Landing.
With battery safety in mind, Governor Newsom initiated an effort in 2024 to update the California Fire Code with specific fire safety requirements for stationary lithium-ion battery storage systems, and the California Public Utilities Commission’s approval of new safety.
In addition, shortly after the fire, the Battery Energy Safety & Accountability Act (AB 303) was presented to the legislature. The bill proposes significant restrictions on BESS developments, including:
Prohibiting BESS facilities of 200MWh or greater within 3,200 feet of sensitive receptors
Restricting development on environmentally sensitive sites
Repealing 2022 permitting reforms that had expedited state approvals for these facilities under California’s climate change initiatives
While the Moss Landing fire was a wake-up call, the Wood Mackenzie Q1 2024 and 2023 Year in Review found that roughly 7.9 GW of grid-scale energy storage was installed in the United States in 2023. Reported to be a 98% increase over the total installed capacity in 2022, this indicates that, while the number of incidents roughly stayed constant, the number of installed units vastly increased, lowering the failure rate of these systems.
“California is moving faster than ever before to build the clean energy we need – now with the world’s largest solar and battery project,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “With a record amount of clean energy capacity added last year, we’re creating jobs and supporting local communities – all while building a cleaner, more reliable power grid.”
San Francisco-based Intersect Power, a solar-plus-storage specialist, reports it currently a base portfolio of 2.2 GW of operating solar and 2.4 GWh of battery storage in operation or construction, representing ~$4B of capital investments. Intersect expects to break ground on an additional 4 GW of solar PV and 10 GWh of battery storage, representing ~$9B of assets in 2025.
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