The City of Fresno Department of Public Utilities (DPU) and ForeFront Power conducted a “Flip the Switch” ceremony to celebrate the completion of solar energy and smart battery storage projects at three sites: the Fresno-Clovis Regional Wastewater Reclamation Facility, the Northeast Surface Water Treatment Facility, and the Southeast Surface Water Treatment Facility.

At a combined 27 MW-DC in size, the DPU projects are expected to save over $122 million in ratepayer dollars by 2045. The crown jewel of the portfolio is the 19.6 MW system at the Fresno-Clovis Regional Wastewater Reclamation Facility, which is the largest commercial solar and battery system in the U.S. to date.

The City of Fresno DPU developed its “behind-the-meter” solar and storage portfolio in partnership with ForeFront Power, a leading developer of solar energy and battery storage assets in the U.S. and Mexico. The portfolio was constructed by local union labor from the IBEW Local 100, creating 120 local jobs in the process. Each DPU site features rows of ground-mounted solar modules fitted with single-axis tracker technology, enabling the modules to follow the sun’s movement across the sky to capture the maximum amount of abundant Central Valley sunshine. The DPU portfolio has a combined output of 47 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity annually, enough to power 6,000 homes.

“I am so proud of this extraordinary achievement that is putting Fresno on the map and honoring our commitment to building a sustainable Fresno,” said Mayor Jerry Dyer. “Powering these citywide projects and DPU with renewable energy is one facet of the City’s comprehensive plan to lower our energy costs, secure critical infrastructure, and increase our environmental sustainability. By energizing this massive renewable energy portfolio to support our public utilities, Fresno is showing the rest of the country that clean power is a valuable tool in serving our communities.”

“We are honored to partner with the City of Fresno to realize their visionary energy plan,” said Dr. Ruben Fontes, CEO of ForeFront Power. “The DPU sites are unique in their scale as well as their impact. By generating and storing clean power on site, DPU reduces its reliance on costly grid electricity and can pass those savings back to ratepayers. Moreover, the batteries installed at each site ensure that energy is always available to power the City’s essential infrastructure.”

The project received media coverage in Solar Power World, KMPH FOX26, The Business Journal Fresno, YourCentralValley.com, KSFN ABC30, Hart Energy, GV Wire, Smart Energy Decisions, CleanTechnica, and PV Magazine USA.