SACRAMENTO, California — California energy officials green-lighted the country’s largest solar and battery project to date Wednesday via a new permitting process to streamline certain renewable energy projects.
What happened: The California Energy Commission voted unanimously to approve a permit for Intersect Power’s Darden Energy Project in the southwestern Central Valley. The project includes solar panels that can generate 1,150 megawatts, roughly enough to power 862,500 homes, as well as a giant battery that can keep those homes powered for four hours and a substation to connect to the grid.
Why this matters: The vote is the first project approved under a new opt-in streamlined permitting process established by a 2022 state law, AB 205. The law is aimed at shortening review timelines and circumventing local opposition in service of California’s goal to rid its grid of greenhouse gas emissions by 2045.
More details: The developer completed its application for the project in September 2024. It had buy-in from local officials eager for the jobs and tax revenue, estimated in the tens of millions annually.
