In Focus

Eland Solar-plus-Storage Center to Power 260,000+ L.A. Households With Renewable Energy

by Emily Rose Oachs

Eland Solar-plus-Storage Center is a sprawling facility. Positioned on a flat stretch of desert hemmed in by mountains near Mojave, California, it covers more than 4,600 acres—the approximate size of 13 Dodger Stadiums, including the parking lots. That massive footprint hosts a sea of more than 1.3 million solar panels that track with the sun’s angle throughout the day, row upon row of the battery energy storage systems (BESS) that provide Eland’s substantial storage capacity, and a substation that interconnects to LADWP’s nearby Barren Ridge Switching Station.

Eland’s sheer physical scale aligns with its vital importance in LADWP’s energy portfolio. Its completion in July 2025 marked a significant milestone on LADWP’s path to 100 percent clean energy by 2035. With this facility fully online, LADWP is forecasted to surpass 60 percent clean energy this year—nearly two-thirds of its 2035 goal with a decade to go.

The sun rises behind a substation that sits across from battery storage at Eland Solar-plus-Storage Center.

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Solar panels tilt toward the sun with mountains in the background at Eland Solar-plus-Storage Center.

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Boasting a total of 400 megawatts (MW) of energy and 1,200 megawatt-hours (MWh) of storage, Eland is the largest solar and battery storage project to provide renewable power to Los Angeles. It can supply approximately 7 percent of the City’s energy, enough to power more than 260,000 Los Angeles households. Its substantial battery storage means that it can continue providing solar energy to LADWP customers long after the sun has set.

“It is a proud moment for Los Angeles and LADWP as we reach this momentous accomplishment in our clean energy goals. Eland is the latest addition to our green energy portfolio that will let us reach more than 60 percent clean energy."
Janisse Quiñones, LADWP CEO and Chief Engineer

This milestone has been years in the making. In 2019, LADWP’s power purchase agreement (PPA) for Eland’s energy, administered through the Southern California Public Power Authority (SCPPA), was approved by the Los Angeles City Council. Through this PPA, LADWP receives 87.5 percent of the total energy and battery storage from Eland 1, the project’s first phase, and 100 percent from its second phase, Eland 2. In 2022, the project was acquired by Arevon, now Eland’s owner, developer, and operator. Eland 1 became commercially operational in November 2024; the second phase recently followed in July 2025.

A group of LADWP employees, some wearing hard hats and neon vests, smile at the camera while posing in front of solar panels at Eland Solar-plus-Storage Center.

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A woman speaks at a podium.

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A group of people standing and posing for the camera while a woman in the middle cuts a giant ribbon.

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In December 2024, LADWP joined with project partners at Eland to celebrate the clean energy milestone that the project represents for Los Angeles. Representatives from Arevon, SCPPA, and Glendale Water & Power, which receives 12.5 percent of Eland 1’s energy and battery storage, were on hand with LADWP leadership to highlight the significance of this project in pushing the Department toward its clean energy goals.

More celebrations took place in August 2025, with Arevon hosting a ribbon-cutting event to commemorate Eland's completion. Among the state and local representatives present were Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and LADWP CEO and Chief Engineer Janisse Quiñones. Mayor Bass and Quiñones each delivered remarks, driving home the importance of this project for both LADWP and the City of Los Angeles in achieving its clean and renewable energy targets.

Eland nestles in the heart of what has become a noteworthy hub for LADWP’s renewable energy sources, known as the Barren Ridge Renewable Corridor. In addition to Eland, this area is home to solar projects RE Cinco Solar, Beacon Solar 1-5, and Springbok Solar 1-3. Also nearby is Pine Tree Wind and Solar.

Wind turbines and solar panels at Pine Tree Wind and Solar.
“The amount of sunlight the Mojave Desert receives each year is among the best in the U.S., which is why LADWP has significantly invested in the Barren Ridge Renewable Corridor, that with Eland, will provide LADWP with more than 1,170 MW of carbon free energy.”
Daniel Beese, Electrical Engineering Associate III, Utility Scale Renewables Group

Each of these renewable energy sources interconnects to Los Angeles’ power grid at LADWP’s Barren Ridge Switching Station. There, the switching station both receives the energy and transmits it to Los Angeles. LADWP crews recently completed an expansion of the switching station to accommodate the additional generation from Eland.

A decade now separates Los Angeles from its goal of 100 percent clean energy. Eland stands as a critical milestone on the Department’s journey, pushing LADWP to nearly two-thirds of its 2035 goal, powering the city with more renewable energy, and propelling the Department’s commitment to a greener Los Angeles for all.

Aerial photo of rows of solar panels, with mountains in the distance, at Eland Solar-plus-Storage Center.

Eland by the Numbers:

  • Expected annual generation: 1,597,000 MWh
  • Number of PV modules installed: 1.3+ million
  • Residential homes served: 266,000+
  • Number of PV modules installed: 1.3+ million
  • Carbon emissions avoided annually: 555,611 metric tons
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