The California Energy Commission (CEC) has authorized the Soda Mountain Solar Project under its Opt-In Certification program. The initiative is designed to streamline sustainable energy licensing and deployment throughout the state.
The project under development by VC Renewables will be situated on about 2,670 acres of property overseen by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) California Desert District in San Bernardino County, subject to clearance by the BLM.
Project Scale and Economic Benefits
The almost $700 million project, if completed, would produce up to 300 MW of renewable energy from a utility-scale solar PV array and would have up to 300 MW of battery storage capable of storing 1,200 MWh of energy. The project is expected to create about 200 construction jobs and up to 40 part-time operations jobs, plus additional jobs as needed to perform routine inspections, maintenance, and security, along with millions of dollars in local economic activity and tax revenue to support public services in San Bernardino County.
The proposal also includes a community benefits agreement requiring the developer to pay $50,000 to Friends of El Mirage, a local charity that advocates for outdoor recreation and public land conservation in San Bernardino County. The money will be used to upgrade facilities at the Rasor Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area.
“This project doesn’t just provide clean, reliable energy – it also brings jobs and real economic investment to the region,”
said CEC Commissioner Noemi Gallardo.
“We are committed to ensuring that the benefits of California’s energy transition are experienced locally, in the communities where these projects are built.
Streamlining Clean Energy Development
“The Opt-In Certification program is designed to streamline the development of critical clean energy infrastructure without sacrificing California’s strong environmental protections or commitment to meaningful community engagement,”
said CEC Chair David Hochschild.
“The approval today shows we can accelerate project timelines without sacrificing the values most important to Californians.”
To support Governor Gavin Newsom’s “build more, faster agenda, the state established an alternate permitting process for certain clean energy projects under the CEC’s Opt-In Certification program. The initiative is intended to speed up the development of sustainable energy in California and to assist in the retirement of fossil-fuel-based resources. Under the Opt-in Certification program, the CEC is the lead agency under the California Environmental Quality Act and will organize public hearings at or near the proposed project sites to elicit comments on the proposed projects. Statute requires that the environmental study for a project be completed within 270 days from the date the project application is declared complete, unless there are substantial project modifications that need additional time to evaluate. The CEC will communicate with California Native American tribes, hold public hearings in the local region, and provide and evaluate public comments throughout the process.
If the project is approved by the CEC, the project’s certificate must, to the extent authorized by federal law, replace any permits, certificates, or other similar papers needed by state, municipal, regional, or federal authorities. If certified, the CEC oversees construction and operation of the project for its entire lifespan under defined criteria of certification, including enforcement of any violations and decommissioning as necessary .
