Acciona, Clark Energy sign lease with U.S. Army for $2B solar project

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Acciona Solar Power and Arlington, Va.-based Clark Energy Group have signed an enhanced use lease to construct solar projects at five Army sites.

The installations are to be located in California’s Mojave Desert at Fort Irwin. The $2 billion endeavor, to be completed between 2013 and 2022, is expected to have a capacity to generate 500 megawatts of electricity. It is expected to have the capacity for phased growth to 1,000 MW, if sufficient demand and transmission line capacity exists, Clark Energy said.

Acciona Solar Power and Clark Energy were tapped earlier this year for the 21-square-mile complex by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, Enhanced Use Leasing program to develop the renewable energy project.

The lease leverages private capital and expertise to fund installation operating costs in exchange for long-term leases of Army land, Clark Energy said. The project also plans to address energy security issues at Fort Irwin, which is used as a combat training center and NASA's Goldstone Deep Space Complex.

Clark Energy partners with public and private sector companies to deliver energy solutions related to energy and water efficiencies as well as enhancing energy security.

Acciona Solar Power is a division of Madrid, Spain's Acciona (MCE:ANA.MC), which has completed more than 6,000 MW of renewable energy projects worldwide (see Acciona opens first wind turbine facility in U.S. and Acciona gets long-term solar financing).

This is to be the U.S. Department of Defense’s largest solar project, which is expected to include thermo and photovoltaic solar power. It would surpass a 14-MW solar plant at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada (see Nellis Air Force Base solar installation in pictures).

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