Mojave, California, is now home to one of the most ambitious solar and battery projects in the United States. In December 2024, Electrek reported that Arevon Energy's Eland 1 Solar-plus-Storage Project, one of the largest solar and battery storage systems in the U.S., went online, delivering clean energy to Southern California.
The project combines a massive 384-megawatt solar farm with a 150-megawatt/600-megawatt-hour battery storage system. And this is just the beginning.
Construction, led by San Diego-based SOLV Energy, is already underway on its second phase, Eland 2, which is slated to go live in early 2025. Together, the two phases will offer 758 megawatts of solar capacity and 300 megawatts/1,200 megawatt hours of energy storage, all backed by an impressive $2 billion investment.
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Beyond its impact on the grid, Eland 1 has already benefited the local economy, creating 325 construction jobs and generating millions of dollars for local businesses. Over its lifetime, the project will "disburse more than $18 million to local governments over the project's lifespan, providing revenue for schools, first responders, and other local needs," Arevon said in a statement.
The energy produced by Eland 1 will be delivered under a long-term contract with the Southern California Public Power Authority, benefiting two major utilities: the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and Glendale Water and Power.
This move toward solar paired with large-scale battery storage represents a significant evolution in the energy sector. A decade ago, solar couldn't compete with dirty energy sources such as oil, coal, petroleum, and natural gas on cost alone.
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Today, solar is the cheapest new source of electricity, and when combined with storage, it's ready to outpace natural gas and coal in both price and performance. The batteries add the necessary consistency and resilience to make solar energy a viable alternative, making this transition all the more powerful.
For Arevon Energy, Eland 1 is just one piece of its growing portfolio. With over 4,500 megawatts of solar and storage projects across 17 states and another six gigawatts in the pipeline, the company is helping pave the way for a future powered by renewable energy.
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