EDF Renewables North America and Power Sustainable Energy Infrastructure Inc. (PSEI) have completed long-term financing for the Desert Quartzite Solar+Storage project, located in Riverside County, California. This energy infrastructure, which began producing electricity in December 2024, combines 375 megawatts of direct current (MWdc) solar capacity with a 150 megawatt alternating current (MWac) battery energy storage system (BESS) with a four-hour discharge duration.
International banking partnership
The financial arrangement was structured by KfW IPEX-Bank, together with MUFG Bank Ltd, Export Development Canada, Korea Development Bank, and four other partner banks. It marks the first use of project leverage financing for an EDF Renewables initiative in the United States in over a decade. The operation reflects a global capital mobilisation towards hybrid infrastructures that combine renewable generation with storage.
The Desert Quartzite project is part of a series of energy developments led by EDF Renewables North America across the United States. The company, a subsidiary of the Électricité de France (EDF) Group, co-owns the project equally with Power Sustainable Energy Infrastructure Inc., an asset manager based in Montreal.
Deployment and technical setup
The Desert Quartzite plant is designed to enhance the stability of the local electric grid, especially during peak hours, through the integration of its battery storage system. The installations span a desert area in southern California, selected for its high solar potential and proximity to existing transmission infrastructure.
The energy infrastructure was developed to optimise the coupling of solar generation with storage, enabling better management of electricity intermittency. The secured financing ensures the site’s operational longevity and the structured repayment of the project sponsors’ debts.
