City of Fresno can’t stop adding solar and storage to city-owned sites

Today the City of Fresno Dept. of Public Utilities (DPU) in California conducted a “Flip the Switch” ceremony to celebrate the completion of solar energy and  battery storage projects at three sites: the Fresno-Clovis Regional Wastewater Reclamation Facility, the Northeast Surface Water Treatment Facility and the Southeast Surface Water Treatment Facility. All three projects feature single-axis solar trackers. At a combined 27 MW_DC in size (and 5.3 MW_AC of storage), the DPU projects are expected to save over $122 million in ratepayer dollars by 2045.

The crown jewel of the portfolio is the 19.6-MW solar system and 2.3-MW storage system at the Fresno-Clovis Regional Wastewater Reclamation Facility, which is believed to be the largest commercial solar and battery system in the United States to date.

The City of Fresno DPU developed its behind-the-meter solar and storage portfolio in partnership with ForeFront Power. The portfolio was constructed by local union labor from the IBEW Local 100, creating 120 local jobs in the process.

“I am so proud of this extraordinary achievement that is putting Fresno on the map and honoring our commitment to building a sustainable Fresno,” said Mayor Jerry Dyer. “Powering these citywide projects and DPU with renewable energy is one facet of the city’s comprehensive plan to lower our energy costs, secure critical infrastructure, and increase our environmental sustainability. By energizing this massive renewable energy portfolio to support our public utilities, Fresno is showing the rest of the country that clean power is a valuable tool in serving our communities.”

“We are honored to partner with the City of Fresno to realize their visionary energy plan,” said Dr. Ruben Fontes, CEO of ForeFront Power. “The DPU sites are unique in their scale as well as their impact. By generating and storing clean power on site, DPU reduces its reliance on costly grid electricity and can pass those savings back to ratepayers. Moreover, the batteries installed at each site ensure that energy is always available to power the city’s essential infrastructure.”

The DPU solar and storage portfolio was developed at no upfront cost to the city and without using bond funds. Under the terms of a 20-year PPA with the city, ForeFront Power owns and maintains the solar and storage portfolio it developed for DPU. For the next 20 years, ForeFront Power will charge DPU a fixed, below-market rate for electricity, and DPU will achieve budget certainty by avoiding utility rate increases. ForeFront Power will continue to operate and maintain the DPU solar and storage portfolio for the duration of the PPA, at no cost to DPU.

With the DPU portfolio nearing completion, the City of Fresno is well on its way to reaching a national milestone: hosting the largest on-site, multi-campus solar energy and battery storage portfolio in the United States. In addition to the DPU portfolio, ForeFront Power recently completed solar energy systems at several other city-owned sites: the Fresno Animal Center, Fire Station 18, and the Southeast Police Substation.

Moving forward, ForeFront Power is busy developing additional combined solar energy and battery storage systems at the Fresno Yosemite International Airport’s new terminal building and the Airport Parking Garage, and a solar energy system at the FAX (Fresno Area Express) Bus Yard & Employee Lot.

“When you visit the DPU sites, the sheer size of these new solar and storage assets is impressive to behold,” added Mayor Dyer. “We are grateful to ForeFront Power for their continued support in developing world-class renewable energy assets and stimulating job growth across the City of Fresno. We are also grateful for the local jobs created and our local union workers at IBEW Local 100 for their tireless labor in constructing these systems. Together we’re turning Fresno into a beacon for responsible energy innovation, job growth, and economic resilience.”

The City of Fresno procured its solar energy and battery storage assets by leveraging the Renewable Energy Aggregated Procurement (REAP) Program. The REAP Program is managed by SPURR, a joint powers authority dedicated to helping the California public sector control and reduce utility expenses. REAP provides public sector buyers with pre-negotiated contracts, industry-leading pricing, and standardized terms. Through REAP’s integrated RFP process and PPA, the City of Fresno selected ForeFront Power to develop, finance, and construct its solar energy and energy storage portfolio.

News item from ForeFront