Desert Quartzite will generate enough power for 163,000 California homes at full capacity.

The Desert Quartzite Solar+Storage Project, a joint venture between EDF Renewables North America and Power Sustainable Energy Infrastructure (PSEI), has initiated operations.

The project comprising a 375MWdc/300MWac solar facility with a 150MWac battery energy storage system, supplies electricity to Clean Power Alliance under a 20-year power purchase agreement.

Located on federal land managed by the Bureau of Land Management in Riverside County, California, Desert Quartzite is engineered to capture and store solar energy during peak hours.

The stored energy can then be dispatched to meet capacity demands at different times, helping to maintain a balance between generation and consumption.

The inclusion of battery energy storage in the project not only aids in stabilising electricity prices but also enhances grid reliability in an eco-friendly manner.

EDF Renewables West Development vice president Devon Muto said: “EDF Renewables recognises the growing importance of battery energy storage systems as a complementary market to our core generation business. These systems provide reliable, affordable, and clean energy even in the absence of sunlight.

“During the peak construction phase of the project, we were able to create 450 jobs, and we are particularly proud of our safety practices, which resulted in zero recordable incidents during the two-year construction phase of the project.”

Once operating at full capacity, the Desert Quartzite facility is anticipated to produce sufficient electricity to power more than 163,000 average homes in California.

This equates to a reduction of more than 669,000tpa of CO? emissions, which is comparable to the emissions from around 145,000 passenger vehicles driven for a year.

PSEI managing partner Pierre-Olivier Perras said: “We are thrilled to be expanding our presence in the California utility-scale market.

“This project is a testament to the strong market fundamentals supporting renewables and battery storage in North America.”

PSEI completed the first phase of its strategic investment in the Desert Quartzite Solar+Storage Project in August 2024, securing a 50% ownership stake in the venture.