As the first utility-scale solar plant for Lockheed Martin, this 24-MWDC photovoltaic facility—boasting nearly 55,000 solar panels—is projected to reduce annual energy costs by as much as $4 million. By carefully planning the staging, equipment used and road conditions, the team was able to safely unpackage, transport and install all modules with only 80 non-warranty breakages. This was a major success considering the modules had to be received more than a year prior to construction.
During the project, the California Fish and Game Commission had a one-year candidacy period to determine whether the western Joshua tree—131 if which grow on the property site—should be listed as a threatened species under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA). The period provides the species interim legal protections, making killing/removal of Joshua trees illegal without special permits.