Construction began in April on MCE’s first new renewable energy project in Napa County, the American Canyon Solar Project, after months of development, planning, and preparation.

Renewable Properties developed the small-scale utility solar project that will supply MCE with 3 MWac of in-service area solar electricity. The project is expected to begin delivery of clean, locally-produced electricity to MCE later this year through MCE’s Feed-In Tariff program, which incentivizes the development of local, small-scale renewable energy projects through a wholesale purchase programs that allow owners and developers to become long-term renewable energy suppliers for MCE customers.

“We’re grateful to Renewable Properties not only for investing in clean, renewable solar energy but for partnering with the Workforce Alliance of the North Bay to provide experience and local green-collar job opportunities to Napa County residents,” said Dawn Weisz, CEO of MCE. “By turning to sources like solar for Napa’s first Feed-In Tariff project, together we build a clean and secure energy future for California.”

Located on approximately 21 acres, the American Canyon Solar Project will utilize horizontal single-axis tracking solar photovoltaic (PV) technology. The annual electricity generated from the project is enough to meet the consumption of 1,000 average U.S. homes per year. This is equivalent to avoiding more than 5,700 metric tons of CO₂ emissions annually, which is similar to the volume of greenhouse gases emitted from 1,218 passenger vehicles driven over the course of one year, according to U.S. EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies calculations.