San Bernardino County March 2017
San Bernardino County has a history of renewable energy development. The county’s desert region is home to a number of large-scale solar projects built in the 1980s and 1990s. Two of the largest solar projects in California are in San Bernardino: Ivanpah (370 megawatts MW) and Abengoa Mojave (250 MW).
- The county covers approximately 13 million acres
- An estimated 11.9 million acres are within the DRECP area
- As of December 2016, the county had 106 wholesale renewable energy projects that were operating and capable of generating 1,526 megawatts (MW).
- 11 solar thermal projects capable of 999 MW
- 80 solar photovoltaic projects capable of 480 MW
- 11 small hydroelectric projects capable of 38 MW
- 3 wind energy projects capable of 7 MW
- 1 biomass project capable of 3 MW
The county applied for and received two Renewable Energy Conservation Planning Grants totaling $1.1 million from the Energy Commission. It used $700,000 to support the development of the San Bernardino County Partnership for Renewable Energy Conservation (SPARC) project. It used $400,000 to develop a renewable energy initiative that focused on the costs, benefits and best opportunities for eligible renewable energy resource development within the county.
See the San Bernardino County Renewable Energy Fact Sheet and refer to the documents below to learn more about county plans and policies being used to guide local renewable energy development.
County Planning and Renewable Energy Resources
Renewable Energy Conservation Planning Grants
Renewable Energy Conservation Planning Grant Application (April 2013)
California Energy Commission Notice of Proposed Award (April 2014), Notice of Proposed Award (April 2013)
Memorandum of Understanding Between San Bernardino County and California Energy Commission (December 2012)
DRECP
Comments on the draft DRECP Environmental Impact Report (February 2015)