Community Solar has become so popular in the United States that even utilities are getting in on the game. As the latest evidence of this, Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) has signed a 20-year contract to buy power from Canadian Solar subsidiary Recurrent Energy’s Tranquility 8 Verde project, which it will then distribute to its customers under its Solar Shares and other renewable energy programs.
Like other community solar offerings, Solar Shares allows SMUD customers to sign up for a share of the PV plant, and electricity from this plant will represent a portion of the customer’s monthly bill.
Recurrent plans to begin construction of the 60 MW-AC Tranquility 8 Verde in mid-2017. The project is located in California’s Fresno County and is Recurrent’s fifth solar project with SMUD, following four projects which were completed in 2012 and also supply electricity under 20-year PPAs.
Tranquility 8 Verde is part of Recurrent’s 200 MW-AC Tranquility 8 project, and electricity from the remaining 140 MW-AC will be purchased by community choice aggregator MCE and utilities Pacific Gas & Electric Company and Southern California Edison.
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