Panoche Valley Solar Farm

Panoche Valley Solar Farm is a proposed 399 megawatt (MW), utility-scale solar photovoltaic power station originally proposed by Solargen Energy in the Panoche Valley of Central California's San Benito County. Panoche Valley is crossed by a 230-kilovolt (kV) power line from the Moss Landing Power Plant. In April, 2011, PV2 Energy purchased the project, with Nevo Energy retaining a small equity interest, but no voting, governance or management input. In April 2012 PV2 Energy entered into a joint venture with Duke Energy, the largest utility in the U.S. with a $100 billion balance sheet. The cost is estimated at approximately $1 billion. Solargen Energy changed its name to Nevo Energy, Inc., on May 12, 2011.

The project site consists of 4,717 acres (1,909 ha) of private land in the northern portion of the valley. It is currently used for pasture-based livestock grazing on native grassland habitat.

California utilities are mandated to get 33% of their energy from renewable sources by 2020. A December-2010 deadline previously loomed for qualification for U.S. federal stimulus funds in the form of ARRA money. Solargen would qualify to receive up to $360,000,000 if San Benito officials approved their project by the end of 2010. In October 2010, the San Benito County Board of Supervisors approved the company’s environmental impact report.