REC solar energy And Ventura energy have completed a 1.73 MW solar project in Farm irrigation company‘s Santa Paula site. Two rooftop solar panels were installed on newly constructed reservoir covers, a key part of Farmers Irrigation Company’s broader infrastructure modernization to transition water distribution from a gravity-fed system to a pressurized system. Motivational energy acted as EPC partner for the project.
This project reflects a successful collaboration between strategic partners, combining REC Solar’s long-term ownership and operating model under a 25-year PPA with Ventura Energy. Together, the partners have delivered a customized clean energy solution designed to generate approximately $12 million in total lifetime energy value and deliver $5 million in net savings that will directly reduce operating costs for Farmers Irrigation Company’s member farms and farms.
“Farmers Irrigation Company has been a pillar of the Ventura County agricultural industry for more than a century, and REC Solar is proud to support their work in integrating renewable energy into new, modernized operations,” said Scott Therein, REC Solar Director of Strategic Partnerships. “Strong collaborative relationships with partners like Ventura Energy are essential in delivering energy solutions that can deliver value to all parties involved. Together we will help Farmers Irrigation Company and their members secure a cleaner, more reliable future.”
Farmers Irrigation Company, founded in 1879 to supply water to farms in Ventura County, long relied on gravity-fed canals and pipelines. The transition to a pressurized distribution system will improve the reliability, flexibility and system control of the cooperative’s water delivery operations. Because pressurized systems require significantly more energy, solar energy generation provides significant value as Farmers Irrigation Company future-proofs its operations. Their modernization efforts will make Ventura County agriculture more water, energy and cost efficient.
“This project provides greater confidence in the long-term stability of our water supply system,” said Barney Caudill, general manager of Farmers Irrigation Company. “Having a predictable and cost-effective energy source strengthens our ability to manage expenses and continue to invest in the services our agricultural community depends on.”
In addition to operational savings, the project highlights how local developers and long-term energy owners can work together to modernize vital agricultural infrastructure across the region.
“Ventura Energy is proud to be working with REC Solar and Farmers Irrigation Company on a project that reflects exactly the type of collaboration our team strives for,” said Clara Nagy McBane, CEO of Ventura Energy. “This is a powerful example of how local developers and IPPs can work together to modernize critical infrastructure. By pairing high-quality solar energy with Farmers Irrigation Company’s new pressurized system, we are helping create a more resilient, cost-efficient future for farms across Ventura County.”
News item from REC Solar
