Renewable America announced that its West Tambo Clean Power II (WEST-II) site has achieved commercial operation. This 8.5-acre, 2.93-megawatt DC solar project is located in Livingston, California, in a community designated as vulnerable (DAC) and low-income (LIC). WEST-II will provide clean renewable energy to San Jose, California.
The WEST-II site integrates environmentally vulnerable groups and low-income communities into one project, forming a strong mutually beneficial cycle - providing employment, cleaner air, and economic growth for one side, while providing affordable renewable energy for the other, "said Ardi Arian, President and CEO of Renewable Energy USA. We also celebrated several important milestones in this development, such as a promising new partnership with San Jose Clean Energy Company, successful union labor contracts, and expanding opportunities for vulnerable groups to use solar energy
A key aspect of the WEST-II development project is the integration of local union labor halls to ensure that the project supports workers in the region, especially those participating in apprenticeship training programs. In addition, the project also received a 20% ITC under the Low Income Community Reward Points Program for selling electricity to low-income households.
Renewable America led the development of WEST-II, utilizing internal resources for end-to-end project development, including land survey, lease negotiation, engineering, licensing, design, and initiation. The project was built with higher efficiency, quality control, and coordination throughout all stages of development and construction, while the majority of the work was completed independently by the licensed C-10 and General B construction departments.