SunPower today announced construction is underway on the Lost Hills Solar Project, a 35-megawatt DC (29-megawatt AC) system that will deliver low-carbon electricity to Chevron's Lost Hills oil field in Kern County, California, under a power purchase agreement.
Over the project's term of up to 20 years, it is estimated to produce more than 1.4 billion kilowatt hours of clean solar energy, thereby reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by approximately 1 million metric tons.
The Lost Hills Oil Field has been a source of energy since it was discovered in 1910, producing more than 460 million barrels of oil equivalent over the past 40 years. Once complete in early 2020, the solar project is expected to provide power to the Lost Hills production and processing facilities and offices, meeting approximately 80% of its energy needs. Goldman Sachs Renewable Power (GSRP) will own the system and Chevron will receive environmental credits under the state of California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) program.
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