Soda Mountain Solar, LLC, a subsidiary of VC Renewables, will construct and operate a combined solar photovoltaic and battery energy storage system. The project will be located on approximately 2,670 acres of land administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) California Desert District in San Bernardino County, contingent on BLM approval.
Once built, the nearly $700 million project will generate up to 300MW of renewable energy from a utility-scale solar PV array and include up to 300 MW of battery storage capable of storing 1,200 megawatt-hours (MWh) of energy.
This will strengthen statewide grid reliability and help California move closer to achieving its clean energy and climate goals. The project is expected to create approximately 200 construction jobs and up to 40 part-time operations jobs and additional jobs as needed to conduct routine inspections, maintenance, and security along with millions of dollars in local economic activity and tax revenue to support public services in San Bernardino County.
The project also includes a community benefits agreement that commits the developer to pay $50,000 to Friends of El Mirage, a local nonprofit that supports outdoor recreation and public land stewardship in San Bernardino County. The funding will pay for improvements to amenities at the Rasor Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area.
“This project doesn’t solely deliver clean, reliable energy — it brings jobs and meaningful economic investment to the region,” said CEC Commissioner Noemi Gallardo. “We are committed to seeing that the benefits of California’s energy transition are felt locally, in the communities where these projects are built.”
“The Opt-In Certification program is designed to accelerate the development of critical clean energy infrastructure without compromising California’s rigorous environmental protections or commitment to meaningful community engagement,” said CEC Chair David Hochschild. “Today’s approval shows we can move projects forward with urgency and efficiency while preserving the values that matter most to Californians.”
Soda Mountain is the second renewable energy project approved through the Opt-In Certification Program. Authorized under Assembly Bill 205, the Opt-In Certification Program provides a consolidated state permitting option for eligible clean energy projects, supporting California’s transition to 100 percent zero-carbon retail electric sales by 2045, as required by Senate Bill 100.
