US wholesale power provide Guzman Energy has received approval from the Delta County Board of Commissioners for a limited use permit required to install and operate the proposed Garnet Mesa Solar project in Southern Delta County, Colorado.
When complete, Garnet Mesa Solar will produce more than 194,000MWh of electricity each year.
Delta-Montrose Electric Association (DMEA) will directly purchase a portion of the energy produced by the solar farm, helping it to reach roughly 20% of local power generation, and Guzman Energy will offtake the rest as power supply to serve additional wholesale customers, it said in a media release.
Following the approval, the team behind the Garnet Mesa Solar project will now focus on the next phases of engineering and procurement planning, details of which will be announced later.
The land secured for Garnet Mesa Solar farm construction is currently used for grazing and Guzman said it will continue to employ agrivoltaic practices at the site, with roughly 1,000 sheep to be used for grazing and vegetation management.
“With the Commissioners’ approval, we are one step closer to securing a significant amount of local affordable energy. Together, with Guzman Energy, we are driving rate stability for our members,” said Kent Blackwell, interim CEO and current CTO and DMEA.
