Overseeing the Construction and Connection of Reliable Renewable Power in California

Fifth Standard Solar and Battery Project adds 150 megawatts of solar photovoltaic capacity and 137 megawatts of battery energy storage to Pacific Gas & Electric’s grid. Developed and owned by RWE Clean Energy, the project, built on 1,600 acres, supports PG&E’s and California’s clean energy goals, as the state works toward net zero carbon emissions by 2045.

We served as the owner’s engineer for RWE Clean Energy, providing Engineer, Procure and Construct bid evaluation and contract scope of work support, and detailed design drawing and document reviews for the solar photovoltaic, battery storage and substation components. Our well-rounded and knowledgeable project team had multidisciplinary expertise in all three of those components, allowing us to effectively communicate with the primary engineering contractor and advocate for the client.

The solar panels on site leverage a racking system with solar trackers, designed to follow the sun’s path, which increases energy output. Excess energy not sent to the grid is stored in an on-site lithium-ion battery energy storage facility, which has up to 548 megawatt-hours of storage capacity, allowing the plant to maximize value by releasing solar energy during the most valuable times of the day.  

Our team also took on unique investigations for the project, including:

• Fire safety and seismic regulation expertise: Our battery storage team evaluated and advised on necessary seismic protections, which are mandated in areas with frequent earthquakes such as California, to strengthen connections between batteries and the safety fire suppression systems.
• Cable sizing and selection solutions: We helped to guide the design and specification of cables specific to the battery system, including major DC power cables and communication cables, by advising on and validating design solutions from the primary contractor.

With regular project check-ins and high-quality communication, we established effective design feedback with the primary contractor, contributing to a smooth and well-coordinated design, construction and commissioning process. We also facilitated battery storage specifications development with the battery vendor and RWE Clean Energy to help the product conform to the primary contractor’s plans and meet RWE Clean Energy’s needs.