Kern County, CA
Aratina Solar Center
The Aratina Solar Center is a solar project under development on privately owned land in eastern Kern County, California, near the communities of Boron and Desert Lake. The project will feature a photovoltaic solar array (no mirrors) and battery system with a generation capacity of up to 530 MWac. Aratina will produce enough clean, affordable electricity to power over 180,000 homes, day or night.
Recent Updates
Site preparations at the Aratina Solar Center have begun. This includes the clearing of vegetation and other large natural obstacles that have been approved for removal by Kern County and the California Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW). All activities are being conducted in accordance with permits and regulations, and throughout all phases of construction, Avantus will take care to minimize potential impacts such as noise, dust or traffic.
Avantus is committed to being a good neighbor by partnering with local organizations to provide direct community benefits and create good-paying jobs.
Aratina and the Environment
Avantus is committed to addressing climate change and thoughtfully mitigating potential impacts on local wildlife. The project has provided mitigation measures and design adjustments to minimize impacts and continues to adhere to all local, state, and federal regulations, including the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). We collaboratively developed Aratina over several years with input and feedback from the local community, Kern County Planning and Natural Resources Department alongside state and federal agencies and environmental groups.
In addition to contributing to a mitigation fund specifically for the Western Joshua Tree, our plan for Aratina included the creation of the Onyx Conservation Project, which permanently conserves more than 215,000 contiguous acres of land located between Ridgecrest and Mojave. Onyx is estimated to protect more than 80,000 acres of Western Joshua Tree habitat, including 3,000 acres of dense woodland. The area is also home to more than 20 sensitive wildlife species, ranging from the California Condor to the Mojave desert tortoise, Mohave ground squirrel to golden eagles.
Safety
We understand the vital importance of protecting local air quality for workers and nearby residents. Steps are being taken to minimize dust throughout construction, including:
A “light on the land” approach that minimizes grading and exposed areas
Personnel onsite dedicated to dust control monitoring and management, and mandatory worker training and education
Limiting vehicle speed to 15 mph or less on unpaved roadways, and stopping work on extreme windy days
Consistently applying water to construction areas and unpaved roadways
Utilizing wind breaks, including fencing and barriers
Revegetating and seeding land after construction
For more information on project safety and environmental impacts, visit our FAQs page.
Revised Site Design
Before and after views of the project location. View more >>
Based on thoughtful community feedback, the Aratina project footprint has been reduced to provide additional buffers from Boron and Desert Lake, thereby minimizing the visibility of the project from those communities. Specifically, the revised site design increases project setbacks from residential areas by up to a half-mile, the equivalent of nine football fields, creating significant space between local residents and the solar project. Kern County is referring to the revised site design as Aratina 2.0.
Please see the revised site map and visual simulations for a better sense of Aratina’s location and visual impact.
Project Snapshot
LOCATION
Eastern Kern County, CA
View the site map here
SOLAR PV CAPACITY
Up to 530 MWac
PROJECT SIZE
Up to 2,300 acres of private land
DEVELOPER
Avantus (formerly 8minute)
POTENTIAL JOB IMPACT
570 well-paying construction jobs
COMMUNITY BENEFITS
Support and funding for programs and services in Boron and Desert Lake
STATUS
The Kern County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the Aratina Solar Center in October 2021. Site preparations for construction are currently underway.
Local Benefits
Aratina will be ninth project developed by Avantus in Kern County. With every system we build, we strive to bring positive, meaningful change to Kern County and the local communities where they operate.
Community Involvement
Avantus is committed to being a good neighbor, which means taking the time to understand local communities’ values.
Economic Opportunities
During the construction phase, Aratina is estimated to create approximately 570 construction jobs.
Environmental
Aratina is estimated to offset about 860,000 metric tons of carbon emissions every year, the annual equivalent to planting 14 million trees.
About Avantus
Avantus (doing business as Avantus Power LLC) is California-based developer of solar and energy storage projects. Our team brings over a decade of experience building safe, high quality and sustainable projects in partnership with utilities, landowners, communities, and other key stakeholders.
Avantus has developed more than a dozen operating projects throughout California, which have created thousands of direct and indirect job opportunities and continue to generate tens of millions of dollars in local tax revenue. We are proud of the relationships we’ve built and the track record we’ve earned, and hope to expand upon this success with the Aratina Solar Center.