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Idemitsu Renewables Executes Power Purchase Agreement with Sonoma Clean Power

San Francisco, CA — June 13, 2023 – Idemitsu Renewables, a leading renewable energy developer, announced today the signing of a long-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Sonoma Clean Power Authority, the not-for-profit, community-based electricity provider for Sonoma and Mendocino counties. This agreement marks a significant milestone in advancing clean energy generation and sustainability in the region.

Under the terms of the PPA, Idemitsu Renewables will supply Sonoma Clean Power with renewable energy, storage capacity and related attributes from its 84 MWp solar and 38 MW / 152 MWh battery energy storage project (“Azalea”). The Azalea project is located in Kern County and is expected to achieve commercial operation in 2025. The agreement solidifies a commitment to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions and accelerate the transition towards a cleaner energy future.

“We are delighted to partner with Sonoma Clean Power to deliver clean, reliable, and cost-effective electricity to the community,” said Cary Vandenberg, CEO of Idemitsu Renewables. “This agreement represents a significant step forward in our shared vision of decarbonizing the energy serving Sonoma Clean Power’s service territory.”

Sonoma Clean Power, as a pioneer in the Community Choice Aggregation model, has been at the forefront of championing renewable energy solutions in California. Through this partnership, Sonoma Clean Power will further enhance its renewable energy portfolio, ensuring a diverse and resilient energy supply for its customers.

“This project will allow us to continue offering our customers electricity that is more than 50% renewable and competitively priced, while also adding a substantial amount of reliability through battery storage. We are excited to partner with Idemitsu Renewables to utilize more in-state renewable power with fewer greenhouse gas emissions,” said Deb Emerson, Managing Director of Power Procurement at Sonoma Clean Power.

The new PPA represents a significant addition to Idemitsu Renewables’ renewable energy portfolio and further solidifies its position as a leader in sustainable energy solutions. The collaboration between Idemitsu Renewables and Sonoma Clean Power sets an example for other communities and organizations seeking to accelerate their transition to renewable energy sources.

About Idemitsu Renewables:

Idemitsu Renewables, the U.S. based renewable energy subsidiary of Idemitsu Kosan Co.,Ltd., is a leading solar and energy storage developer and independent power producer. The company acquires, develops, owns, and operates utility‐scale solar power generation plants throughout North America and has offices in California and Nevada. Idemitsu Renewables operates utility-scale solar facilities and has an extensive solar and storage pipeline across the nation.  Learn more at www.idemitsurenewables.com.

About Sonoma Clean Power:

Sonoma Clean Power (SCP) is the public power provider for Sonoma and Mendocino counties, serving about half a million people. In downtown Santa Rosa, SCP operates the only Advanced Energy Center in the United States dedicated to helping customers transition to 100% renewable energy for their homes, businesses, and vehicles. SCP is also the only power provider in California offering 100% renewable electricity twenty-four hours per day, every day of the year. To learn more, visit sonomacleanpower.org or call 1 (855) 202-2139.

73MW Luciana Solar Project

Idemitsu Renewables Completes Funding of $61M Tax Equity and Debt Financing for Luciana Solar project

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – July 28, 2022 –– Idemitsu Renewables, the U.S.-based renewable energy business of Idemitsu Kosan Co.,Ltd., announced today it has completed funding of tax equity and debt financing for its 73 megawatt Luciana Solar Project in Tulare County, California.

Morgan Stanley Renewables Inc. provided the tax equity. Rabobank provided the debt financing.

The 73 megawatt Luciana project began commercial operation in May 2022, and is owned and operated by Idemitsu Renewables. This project adds to the company’s operating assets within California and Colorado regions and complements the extensive development pipeline spanning WECC, PJM, MISO, and CAISO service areas.

“This project continues our team’s legacy of execution from greenfield, financing, construction to operations of utility scale solar projects. Given the dynamics of the last few years, this project is a testament to the expertise and dedication of the team. Securing financing from top-tier financial partners, Morgan Stanley and Rabobank was critical to the success of this project.” said Cary Vandenberg, CEO of Idemitsu Renewables Americas.

“We are delighted to partner again with Idemitsu on the Luciana project, and to continue supporting the transition of the U.S. energy industry with more renewable solar electricity generation,” said Jorge Iragorri, Head of the Alternative Financing Group at Morgan Stanley.

“We are pleased to have supported Idemitsu Renewables on this milestone transaction that will provide clean energy to Northern California and look forward to partnering further with Idemitsu as they expand their portfolio”, said Greg Hutton, Managing Director and Regional Head of Project Finance, Americas at Rabobank.

The renewable power generated by Luciana will serve Northern California generating clean and affordable power equivalent to the needs of over 20,000 homes, furthering its commitment to being a leader in the U.S. renewable energy space.

 

About Idemitsu Renewables

Idemitsu Renewables, the U.S. based renewable energy subsidiary of Idemitsu Kosan Co.,Ltd., is a leading solar and energy storage developer and independent power producer. The company acquires, develops, owns, and operates utility-scale solar power generation plants throughout North America and has offices in California and Nevada. Learn more at www.idemitsurenewables.com.

73MW Luciana Solar Project

Idemitsu Renewables 73MW Luciana Solar Project achieves commercial operation in California

The project will provide clean power equivalent to the needs of over 20,000 homes.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – May 31, 2022 – The Luciana solar project, a 73 megawatt solar project in Tulare County, CA has achieved commercial operation and is expected to generate clean and affordable power equivalent to the needs of over 20,000 California homes.

The project, located in Ducor, CA, provided jobs for over 200 workers during construction, mainly sourced from local union halls in surrounding areas. The Luciana project also provides on-going economic development in the form of fees and tax revenues to Tulare County.

“Considering the unprecedented supply chain challenges the industry faced this past year, we are proud to have successfully achieved commercial operation of the Luciana project through our partnership with East Bay Clean Energy (EBCE),” said Cary Vandenberg, CEO of Idemitsu Renewables. “By leveraging our financial strength and development expertise, we’re helping California meet its aggressive clean energy goals while also providing significant investment in Tulare County.”

The renewable power generated by the Luciana project will be sold through a 15-year power purchase agreement with EBCE, which serves Alameda County and neighboring cities.

“The Luciana project brings more low-cost renewable energy to EBCE’s portfolio, and it’s another big step forward on EBCE’s path to 100% clean energy for all of our customers by 2030,” said Nick Chaset, EBCE’s CEO.

By bringing the Luciana project to commercial operation, Idemitsu Renewables celebrates its commitment to being a leader in the U.S. renewable energy space.

 

About EBCE

EBCE is a not-for-profit public agency that operates a Community Choice Energy program for Alameda County and fourteen incorporated cities, serving more than 1.7 million residential and commercial customers. EBCE initiated service in June 2018 and expanded to Tracy in neighboring San Joaquin County in 2021. As one of 19 community choice aggregation (CCA) programs operating in California, EBCE is part of the movement to expedite the climate action goals of their communities and those of California. EBCE is committed to providing clean power at competitive rates while reinvesting in its local communities. For more information about East Bay Community Energy, visit ebce.org.

About Idemitsu Renewables

Idemitsu Renewables, the U.S. based renewable energy subsidiary of Idemitsu Kosan Co.,Ltd., is a leading solar and energy storage developer and independent power producer. The company acquires, develops, owns, and operates utility-scale solar power generation plants throughout North America and has offices in California and Nevada. Learn more at www.idemitsurenewables.com.

Clean Power Alliance Approves Summer Batch of Energy Contracts

Utility Scale Storage, Solar and Storage, and Small Hydroelectric Projects Will Meet State and Local Goals

Continuing its leadership in developing new renewable energy and battery storage projects that promote economic recovery, today the Clean Power Alliance (CPA) Board of Directors approved the Azalea Solar plus Storage project. Azalea is the fourth renewable energy and storage project approved by CPA in the last three months, which will collectively result in $410 million in new investment in Southern California’s clean energy economy.

All four projects will help CPA meet the State of California’s SB 100 renewable energy targets as well as the high renewable energy demand of CPA’s customers. The storage portions of these projects will provide reliable evening peak energy and allow CPA to meet part of its California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) incremental capacity requirements. CPA plans to continue its expansion of clean energy and storage supply with additional projects currently under negotiation through CPA’s 2019 Reliability Request for Offers and 2019 Clean Energy Request for Offers.

“Now more than ever, we need to move swiftly to keep advancing a sustainable future where we successfully transition off dirty fuels,” said Ted Bardacke, Executive Director, Clean Power Alliance. “Planning for the long-term and investing in new clean energy infrastructure can improve the economy right now and reduce climate change for decades to come.”

The Azalea project contracts 60 megawatts (MW) of solar and 38 MW/152 MWh of battery storage capacity from Idemitsu Renewables (formerly Solar Frontier Americas) in Kern County. The project has a 15-year contract and will create approximately 474 construction jobs. It will come online December 2022.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with CPA on this innovative solar + storage solution that brings low cost electricity to their customers during optimal demand periods,” said Cary Vandenberg, Managing Director, Idemitsu Renewables. “We have a strong track record of building and financing projects with CCAs and are proud to add the largest one, CPA, to our growing portfolio of these partners.”

Of the projects approved in May, the High Desert project contracts 100 megawatts (MW) of solar and 50 MW/200 MWh of battery storage capacity from Middle River Power in San Bernardino County. The project has a 15-year contract and will create approximately 200 construction jobs. By utilizing a portion of an existing interconnection capacity, the project can come online more quickly and at a lower cost than a traditional greenfield development.

“Middle River Power is pleased to partner with Clean Power Alliance in their efforts to bring sustainable, reliable and cost-effective energy to Southern California,” said Mark Kubow, President, Middle River Power.

Another project contracts a 100 MW/400 MWh Sanborn standalone storage project from Terra-Gen in Kern County. The project comes online in August 2021, under a 15-year contract, and will create approximately 70 construction jobs.

“Terra-Gen is delighted to expand our relationship with CPA supporting their resource objectives with a state-of-the-art battery storage installation,” said Gustavo Luna, Chief Marketing Officer, Terra Gen. “We look forward to continued opportunities in advancing California’s clean power goals with reliable and environmentally friendly energy solutions.”

A final project contracts all of Kaweah River Power Authority’s existing 20.1 MW Kaweah RPS-certified small hydroelectric facility in Tulare County, beginning in June 2020. The project has an approximate output of 36,000 MWh/year and has a 10-year contract.

Clean Power Alliance Approves Summer Batch of Energy Contracts

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