Solar Power and the Future. Bryan Whitcomb General Manager, Solar Star Project October 18, 2016

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1 Solar Power and the Future Bryan Whitcomb General Manager, Solar Star Project October 18, 2016

2 Topics Covered Berkshire Hathaway Energy (BHE) introduction Solar Technologies Photovoltaic (PV) and Concentrated PV Concentrated Emerging technologies Solar Star Large utility-scale solar PV project Energy Trends Solar energy trends 2

3 Berkshire Hathaway Energy 11.5 million customers worldwide 21,000 employees worldwide $85.0 billion in assets $18.1 billion in revenue 32,600 miles of transmission lines 16,400 miles of natural gas pipeline More than 33,000 MW owned/contracted generation capacity 34% renewable or noncarbon Largest regulated owner of wind (5500 MW) in US

BHE Renewables Unregulated Independent Power

Imperial Valley Projects: 338 MW Bishop Hill II:

Grande Prairie: 400 MW Marshall: 72 MW Agua

Star: 586 MW Wailuku: 10 MW Philippines: 128 MW

4 BHE Renewables Unregulated Independent Power Producer (IPP) Geothermal Wind Solar Hydro Imperial Valley Projects: 338 MW Bishop Hill II: 81 MW Pinyon Pines: 300 MW Jumbo Road: 300 MW Grande Prairie: 400 MW Marshall: 72 MW Agua Caliente: 290 MW Topaz Solar Farms: 550 MW Solar Star: 586 MW Wailuku: 10 MW Philippines: 128 MW 338 MW geothermal 1,153 MW wind 1,278 MW solar 138 MW hydro 4

5 Solar Technology Photovoltaic 5

6 Solar Technology Concentrated Photovoltaic 6

7 Solar PV Plant Overview Power Conversion Station (PCS) each PCS has 2 inverters and 1 transformer Common electrical hardware for all electrical energy technologies 7

8 Concentrated Solar Power 8

9 Concentrated Solar Power 9

10 Concentrated Solar Ivanpah (Primm, NV) 10

11 Emerging Solar Technologies Concentrator PV Floatovoltaics Energy Storage Electrochemical (batteries) Mechanical (compressed gases, pumped water storage) Thermal (molten salt 1474 F) Chemical (hydrogen fuel cells) Energy storage will be a key issue in the future Reduced base load capacity Increased intermittent renewable sources Duck curve! 11

Solar Star Project 586 megawatt solar photovoltaic project Spans 3,200 acres in Kern County and Los Angeles County, California Utilizes approximately 1.

12 Solar Star Project 586 megawatt solar photovoltaic project Spans 3,200 acres in Kern County and Los Angeles County, California Utilizes approximately 1.7m SunPower E watt monocrystalline silicon modules mounted on single axis tracking technology Estimated to displace 570,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually Equivalent of 108,000 cars off the road annually Potential to power approximately 255,000 average California households 12

13 Solar Star Project Site Solar Star 3 SS2B SS2A SS1A Solar Star 1 Solar Star 2 Substation Generation Tie-Line 13

14 Solar Star Aerial View SCE Whirlwind Substation Kern County Los Angeles County Solar Star 1 Solar Star 2 14

15 Solar Star Major Project Milestones December 2012 BHE Renewables purchased January 2013 Construction begins October 2013 Synchronized with grid December MW in-service April MW in-service November MW in-service December MW in-service (goal) June MW in-service June MW in-service (goal) July 1, 2015 Achieved commercial Operations October 2015 Guaranteed substantial completion date 15

16 Solar Star Facts Technology: SunPower Oasis Single Axis Trackers Land use: approximately 3,200 acres No. of panel: 1.7 million 435 watts per panel Capacity: 586 MW ac 749 MW dc Panels placed end-to-end would reach the Atlantic ocean (2,203 miles)! 16

17 Revegetation 17

18 Revegetation 18

19 Revegetation Results 19

20 Revegetation Results 20

21 Vegetation Management 21

22 US Energy Revolution U.S. energy revolution Largest combined producer of oil and gas in the world Oil imports lowest in more than 40 years Changes in fuel mix for electricity 2016: Wind (+ 10,000 MW), solar (+16,000 MW), gas (+4,000 MW) Coal retiring ~ 13,000 MW Aging fleet; average age is 44 years old Stringent EPA rules 22

23 More Renewable Energy Why? Hedge against natural gas prices Customers want it Long-term assurance of stable prices (PPAs) Economic development Price near grid parity Proven technologies that can address state and federal environmental policies (California s SB 350, Clean Power Plan) 23

24 Evolving Electrical Generation 24

25 Renewable Generation 25

26 Solar Energy Trends 26

27 Declining Cost of Solar 27

Declining Cost of Solar Source: http://cleantechnica.

28 Declining Cost of Solar Source: 28

29 Solar Energy Trends Duck Curve 29

30 Questions? 30

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