Praise, concern greet solar farm project in Monterey County

Approval of Monterey County's largest solar farm project met with praise and concern on Wednesday, one day after its unanimous approval by the Board of Supervisors. Their 5-0 vote came just a few hours after Apple CEO Tim Cook announced a nearly $850 million agreement to purchase power from the system.

The California Flats solar project, in Cholame Valley about seven miles southeast of Parkfield, is designed to generate 280 megawatts of electricity — enough to power about 60,000 California homes. Apple plans to buy 130 megawatts from the project over the next 25 years, and PG&E has a contract to purchase the rest.

"It's an important project, we've been looking at it for a couple of years now," said Monterey County Third District Supervisor Simon Salinas. "This is a project that demonstrates Monterey County's commitment to reduce demand for fossil fuels." The developer claims the solar panels will reduce greenhouse gas emissions the equivalent of taking 22,000 cars off the road. California Flats is the first large-scale solar project approved by the county.

Project conditions negotiated with the developer, First Solar, includes contributing $75,000 for a library in Parkfield, restricting construction traffic on Turkey Flats Road, recruiting construction workers in King City, and using a county address for sales tax purposes. "It could generate approximately $3 million for the county," said Salinas. He added that lease payments would keep cattle running on the ranch, which is owned by the Hearst Corp. The solar farm takes up only 3 percent of the ranch.

The project should create about 500 jobs during construction and sustain about 10 operation and maintenance positions for the anticipated 34-year life of the system.

Owners of two nearby homes wanted their views protected, but Salinas and the rest of the board felt the benefits outweighed their concerns.

Activist groups remain concerned even after an extensive environmental review process and rearranging the panels to avoid the most sensitive areas.

"We are supportive of renewable energy, but it has to be properly sited," said Lisa Belenky, an attorney for the environmental group Center for Biological Diversity. "And we do have some significant concerns at this site."

Among their concerns: the solar panels surround a stream where the endangered California red-legged frog breeds; the area hosts many golden eagle nests; and the impact on critically endangered condors wasn't addressed at all. Belenky worries about bigger issues, too.

"Are we putting in place the right policies, to ensure that these projects are properly sited," Belenky said. "That's really my concern in the long run."

First Solar, the project developer, plans to start construction in mid-2015 and start generating electricity by the end of 2016 in order to qualify for a significant federal tax credit.

"We are not anticipating any legal actions at this point," said Steve Krum, global communications director for First Solar. "We've been working pretty closely with stakeholders to make sure we understand everyone's concerns."

The developers plan to place many thousands of 2-foot-by-4-foot solar panels mounted on short stands across the 2,900-acre site. Each panel generates about 100 watts in full sunlight. Because a major PG&E power line runs through the site, the developers need to string a relatively short run of high-tension wires.

"There's not a big black cable running from Monterey County to [Apple's] office in Cupertino," Krum said. "The power gets fed into the grid. Apple will get the electricity delivered from [PG&E]."

Apple's power purchase was instrumental in allowing the project to go forward, said Krum. Despite some news reports, Apple is not investing in the project, nor financing construction, he explained. As a large electricity consumer, Apple can purchase electricity directly from power projects like this.

According to Apple CEO Tim Cook, the California Flats solar farm should power all of Apple's California operations, including Apple's new "spaceship" headquarters under construction in Cupertino, all other Apple offices and 52 retail stores around the state, and a data center in Newark. Apple views this power purchase as a good investment, too.

"We have a fixed price for the renewable energy, and there’s quite a difference between that price and the price of brown energy," said Cook during a conference in San Francisco on Tuesday.

Others quickly announced their support for the project.

"Apple is setting the pace for the industry for what it means not only to commit to 100% renewable energy, but to move aggressively to achieve that goal," said Greenpeace USA's David Pomerantz in a blog post.

One politician was quick to jump on the bandwagon.

"This is a big victory for clean energy and green jobs in my district," said state Assemblyman Luis Alejo, D-Salinas, in a press release.