Mineral-based specialty solutions supplier Imerys has announced a collaboration with TotalEnergies to implement a large-scale solar power system integrated with battery energy storage at its Lompoc facility in Santa Barbara County, California.
This initiative is part of a long-term energy services contract between the two companies. According to the agreement, TotalEnergies will be responsible for the installation, maintenance, and operation of an approximately 15 MWdc ground-mounted solar array and a 7.5MWh energy storage system at the Lompoc facility. The Power Purchase and Storage Services Agreement (PPSSA) will be in effect for 25 years.
The Lompoc industrial site, which has been engaged in diatomite mining and processing since the 1890s, will benefit from this renewable energy installation as it will cover 50% of the site's current electricity demand.
Jim Murberger, Imerys' Vice President for Performance Minerals in the Americas, emphasized the significance of this project in reducing CO2 emissions and enabling the production of clean, smart energy across their plants in the Americas. He stated, “This is a pivotal step to combat climate change and manage the energy we procure in the region. It aligns with our ongoing investments in developing low-carbon products for our customers and ensuring responsible and sustainable extraction and transformation of minerals.”
The TotalEnergies Distributed Generation USA team collaborated closely with Imerys to assess the suitability of the company's various US facilities for solar installations. As per the PPSSA agreement, TotalEnergies will handle the financing, installation, and operation of the solar-plus-storage system at the Lompoc site.
Eric Potts, Managing Director of TotalEnergies Distributed Generation USA, expressed their commitment to supporting Imerys in achieving its sustainability objectives globally, with a specific focus on their US operations. Potts commended Imerys for investing in solar power and energy storage, recognizing their efforts to reduce environmental impact.
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Currently, TotalEnergies has over 1 GW of signed solar capacity through partnerships with more than 500 business and public agency customers worldwide. The deployment of this solar capacity is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.
The solar-plus-storage system at Imerys' Lompoc site is estimated to be fully operational within three years. It will feature a ground-mounted single-axis tracker solar PV system equipped with bi-facial modules to optimize energy generation, projected to produce approximately 30 GWh annually.
