California energy regulators took a key step Dec. 29 toward approving a major new solar energy project that could become one of the largest renewable energy sources in the state.
What happened: The California Energy Commission recommended approving the Soda Mountain Solar Project, a solar-plus-storage plant proposed in San Bernardino County, for expedited permitting under the state’s 2022 law that allows renewable energy projects to override local opposition.
Why it matters: If approved, Soda Mountain will be the second project to successfully make it through the CEC opt-in process, which was created under AB 205 to streamline permitting but drew criticism from renewable energy advocates when the agency denied Fountain Wind, its first applicant.
The project has been trying to get through local opposition for a decade. In 2016, the San Bernardino County board of supervisors voted against the proposal, citing its potential impact on wildlife, dimming its prospects until the CEC process was created.
