SolarReserve says it has received its final permit from Saguache (suh-WAHCH') County for two planned 100-megawatt solar thermal energy facilities.
The facilities would be built on private agricultural land about six miles northeast of Center. The land currently uses about 8,800 acre-feet of water annually for agricultural uses. SolarReserve says each of its facilities would use about 150 acre-feet of water annually.
Santa Monica, Calif.-based SolarReserve says the project will be able to store up to 15 hours of solar energy, so electricity also could be provided at night. It says the project will create more than 450 jobs per facility during construction and 45 to 50 permanent jobs at each plant afterward.
The project would generate a projected $30 million in sales and property tax revenues over its life.