News Synopsis
PROJECT SNAPSHOT
Project: Nine community-scale solar and storage projects
Capacity: 33 MWdc solar and 31 MWh battery storage
Location: California, US
Developer: Renewable America
Technology: Solar PV and battery energy storage
Grid connection: Distribution grid
Off-takers: Investor-owned utilities and CCAs in California
Status: Late-stage development
Target COD: Q4 2026 to mid-2028
Community focus: Six projects in Energy Communities; three with Low Income Community Category 4 adders
Wider pipeline: 199 MW solar and 465 MWh storage under development
Renewable America, a California-based integrated solar and storage developer and EPC, has advanced a late-stage portfolio of 33 MWdc of solar and 31 MWh of BESS across nine community-scale projects in California. The portfolio is designed for distribution-grid interconnection and will serve local energy demand through community-scale solar-plus-storage assets rather than large transmission-connected facilities.
The company said the portfolio is focused on communities that have had limited access to clean energy. Specifically, six of the nine projects are located in designated Energy Communities, making them eligible for additional Internal Revenue Service incentives linked to areas with higher pollution burdens. Three projects have also secured Low Income Community Category 4 adders from the U.S. Treasury. This funding support will deliver electricity from environmentally disadvantaged communities directly to low-income households. The projects are planned to reach commercial operation between the fourth quarter of 2026 and mid-2028.
Renewable America will develop and execute the projects through its integrated development, engineering, procurement, and construction model. The company holds General B and C-10 contractor licenses. These qualifications allow the firm to handle both structural building and high-voltage electrical grid work. Consequently, the team will manage the complete project lifecycle. This responsibility covers development, site control, grid interconnection, construction and delivery of solar and storage systems for local customers and utility off-takers.
The portfolio will connect to California’s distribution grid, which the company describes as a “middle mile” approach, generating power locally to bypass long-distance transmission lines. This model places solar and storage assets closer to load centres and avoids reliance on transmission-scale infrastructure. Power off-takers include major investor-owned utilities and leading community choice aggregators in California with credit ratings.
Founder and CEO Ardi Arian stated that while California is a solar giant, the state still needs clean power that reaches the people who need it most. He added that the portfolio is specifically built to serve renters, low-income households and other customers in communities often left out of the energy transition.
The company has already posted nearly $1 million in interconnection and development securities. Interconnection agreements have been executed for most of the project sites, while Renewable America said it holds strong site control across the entire portfolio.
Battery storage will support the operational value of the projects by improving flexibility, helping manage local supply and demand and strengthening the role of distributed energy resources on California’s grid. The projects are also expected to support local clean-power access without requiring customers to install rooftop systems.
Renewable America has completed more than 40 community-scale and commercial projects across California since its founding. Its installed base includes more than 20 MW of solar and 10 MWh of energy storage, including 15.4 MW of solar installed in 2025.
The Santa Clara-based company said it now has 199 MW of solar and 465 MWh of storage under development across California. Alongside community-scale projects, it is expanding its commercial and industrial energy focus with tailored solar and storage systems intended to reduce operating costs and carbon emissions for customers.