Solar Generation
TID owns a solar panel array on top of our parking structure at our main office and an agreement with SunPower to purchase energy generated at the Rosamond Solar site in Kern County, CA. TID customers have also embraced solar technology by installing solar panels at their homes and businesses.
Rosamond Solar Facility
In November 2015, TID entered into a 20-year agreement to purchase 54 megawatts of clean, renewable solar power from SunPower’s newly constructed Rosamond Solar site located near Edwards Air Force Base in Kern County, CA. TID anticipates the plant to generate an equivalent amount of energy to power approximately 20,000 homes.
This purchase power agreement with SunPower puts TID on a clear path to meet both current and future Renewable Portfolio Standard obligations and clean climate goals of obtaining 50 percent of our generation from renewables by 2030, as well as continuing a long-standing commitment to a diverse and reliable mix of resources to serve TID customers. It will also add another significant resource to the District’s already diverse portfolio of certified environmentally‐friendly greenhouse‐gas‐free resources, which include wind, eligible small hydro, geothermal, and photovoltaic solar.
The Rosamond Solar site utilizes the SunPower® Oasis® Power Plant system, a fully integrated, modular solar power block solution for utility‐scale solar projects that is designed to optimize land use and engineered for rapid, cost‐effective installation. The technology includes SunPower’s proprietary robotic solar panel cleaning capability that uses 75 percent less water than traditional cleaning methods and can help improve system performance by up to 15 percent.
TID Parking Structure
We installed a 70.7 kilowatt array of photovoltaic panels atop the parking structure at our offices on Canal Drive in Turlock. The array generates up to 132,460 kilowatt-hours a year.