TotalEnergys Celebrates 4.6 MW Project for East Bay Utility District

TotalEnergys and the East Bay Utility District (EBMUD) have dedicated the Orinda Photovoltaic Solar Power Project (Orinda PV) in Oakland, California.

Orinda PV is EBMUD’s largest solar installation, designed, built, owned and operated by TotalEnergys. The 4.6 MW project will provide the nonprofit water agency with approximately 10 million kWh of clean solar energy annually under a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA), which will significantly offset EBMUD’s greenhouse gas emissions and accelerate the utility’s progress toward achieving its goals . carbon neutrality target by 2030

“The Orinda PV project represents a step forward in EBMUD’s clean energy production and supports our mission to provide safe and affordable drinking water while protecting the environment,” said EBMUD CEO Clifford Chan. “We believe that investing in a sustainable future is the right solution for our customers and our planet, not only today, but also for generations to come.”

Orinda PV contains over 12,000 high-efficiency panels mounted on single-axis trackers that maximize energy production across the 12-acre site. The landscaping of the site includes vegetative screening that minimizes visibility of the photovoltaic system from nearby nature trails and the Briones Reservoir, a popular recreational area.

“We applaud EBMUD for investing in clean energy to achieve impressive carbon neutrality goals,” said Eric Potts, vice president of TotalEnergys Renewables USA. “As a leading solar developer in the U.S. and around the world, we help companies like EBMUD leverage solar energy to achieve sustainability goals and reduce long-term energy costs.”

The Orinda PV project is expected to offset 10% of EBMUD’s current energy costs. The solar PV system will be connected to the local power grid through PG&E’s Renewable Energy Self-Generation Bill Credit Transfer (RES-BCT) program, which allows electricity generated by the project to offset energy consumed from up to 50 EBMUD electric accounts with PG&E. Locating the project next to PG&E’s Sobrante station reduces the costs and impacts of connecting to the power grid.

EBMUD is an Oakland-based, nonprofit public agency that provides high-quality drinking water to more than 1.4 million customers in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. The agency also operates a wastewater treatment system serving 740,000 customers, which helps protect the San Francisco Bay ecosystem.

Listen to more in-depth conversations on the Solar Builder YouTube channel

Our most popular series include:

Power forward! | Collaborate with BayWa to discuss higher-level industry topics.
Buzz | Where we give our 2 cents per kWh in the residential solar market.
The pitch of the sound | Discussions with photovoltaic panel manufacturers about their new technologies and ideas.