SunPower’s high-efficiency solar technology will generate the equivalent of about 30% of China Lake’s annual energy load, helping to reduce costs by an estimated $13m over the next 20 years.The solar system will produce emission-free solar power beginning at the end of next year, and the produced electricity will be sold to the Navy under a power purchase agreement (PPA).
The installation will be the government’s first solar power plant financed by a 20-year federal solar PPA using the 10USC 2922a authority which is relevant to contracts for energy or fuel for military installations.Under the agreement, SunPower will design, build, operate and maintain the solar power plant, which will be owned by an affiliate of Metropolitan Life, and then be leased to a SunPower affiliate.
The installation at China Lake will feature the SunPower Oasis Power Plant product, a fully integrated, modular solar power block that is engineered to cost-effectively deploy utility-scale solar projects while optimizing land use.