Second phase of Mount Signal solar project celebrated
CALEXICO — When all three phases of 8minutenergy and Capital Dynamics’ Mount Signal Solar Farms projects are built out in the coming years, it will produce nearly 800 megawatts of electricity, making it the largest solar field in California and one of the largest in the world.
“All together,” said Helena Kimball, 8minutenergy’s vice president of marketing, “it will cover 4,850 football fields.”
The second phase of the project, Mount Signal 3, saw dignitaries from all over the country and from all levels of government celebrate its ribbon-cutting Friday with an afternoon luncheon, plenty of speakers and tour in golf carts slogging through muddy solar fields.
Mount Signal 3, which has been online since getting done a month early in November, is capable of producing 328 megawatts of electricity to be used by Southern California Edison. Mountain Signal 1 produces 260 megawatts for San Diego Gas & Electric.
Right now, 8minutenergy Chief Executive O cer and President Tom Buttgenbach said, “one million people receive power from this power plant.”
“This is the largest project ever approved in California in terms of acreage,” he said. Buttgenbach added this was one of the largest solar projects to be embraced by environmental groups as well.
He expressed his gratitude to the Imperial County Board of Supervisors for the nine years the county has worked with 8minutenergy on a variety of solar projects.
Buttgenbach went on to talk about the way renewable energy is transforming the nation, saying that in 20 to 30 years, energy will basically be free. “You’ll pay a utility to have a connection to the grid.”
He said locally it will change the economy for the better and around the country it will change how we live and work.
“This a massive power plant that helps our society, helps our kids to live better than we do,” Buttgenbach said. “There’s lots more to come in the Imperial Valley.”
Benoit Allehaut, director of clean energy infrastructure for Capital Dynamics, said, “I’m very proud of this state. It’s truly a leader in the de-carbonization of America.”
Tomas Oliva, local representative for Congressman Juan Vargas, D-Imperial Valley, and recent winner of a seat on the El Centro City Council, spoke about the way green energy has transformed the local economy from one that was perennially among the highest in unemployment to less than 20 percent thanks to renewable energy generation.
“We knew then, and we know today: We have land; we have water, and we have hard-working people,” he said.
Imperial County Board of Supervisors Chairman Ray Castillo, who sang and played guitar to “God Bless America,” reiterated Olivas’ appreciation of the transformation of the local economy. He added he is thrilled to hear that 8minutenergy will next get into battery storage, as Castillo bragged on Imperial County as both a location for widespread battery storage and lithium extraction needed to build that large-scale battery storage.
After the luncheon and speeches, the dignitaries cut the ceremonial ribbon to the facility, posed for photos and set out on golf carts to tour the grounds.