Enlight secures $773 mn for Country Acres solar project in California

Enlight has secured $773 mn in financing for the Country Acres project, combining solar generation and storage near Sacramento, scheduled to be operational in the second half of 2026.

Share:

Enlight Renewable Energy Ltd, through its subsidiary Clenera Holdings LLC, has secured $773 mn in construction financing from a consortium of international banks for the Country Acres project. Located near Sacramento, California, the site will combine 403 megawatts (MW) of solar generation capacity with 688 megawatt-hours (MWh) of storage. Construction has already commenced on the 966-acre site, with all procurement contracts signed.

A banking consortium led by BNP Paribas

The financing consortium includes BNP Paribas Securities Corp, Crédit Agricole CIB, Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking, and Norddeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale (Nord/LB). Upon reaching commercial operation date (COD), the construction loan is set to convert into a $376 mn term loan. Enlight also anticipates closing a tax equity transaction during the construction phase. The project has met U.S. regulatory requirements qualifying it for “safe harbor” status for early-stage construction.

Country Acres holds a 30-year solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) and a 20-year storage PPA, both signed with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD).

Enlight accelerates U.S. expansion

Country Acres is part of a growing U.S. project portfolio for Enlight and Clenera, following previous developments in Apex, Montana, and Atrisco, New Mexico. Other projects, such as Quail Ranch (128 MW and 400 MWh) and Roadrunner (290 MW and 940 MWh), are also under development. Once these projects are completed, Enlight expects its annual U.S. revenue to reach between $195 mn and $207 mn.

The next two major initiatives—Snowflake (600 MW and 1,900 MWh) and CO Bar (1,211 MW and 824 MWh)—are scheduled to begin construction in the coming months. Each of these sites includes a 1.0 GW grid connection, among the largest in the U.S., supporting Enlight’s “Connect and Expand” strategy aimed at leveraging existing interconnection infrastructure to enable further capacity development.

Lenders engaged in successive projects

Country Acres marks the second financing deal completed between Enlight and the same group of lenders in under three months. Ilan Goren, General Manager of Enlight USA, highlighted the importance of this continuity in partnership. The project also reflects Clenera’s strengthening relationships with financial partners, who have reiterated their support for the company’s development pipeline.

Loblaw Group will deploy a 7.5 MW photovoltaic installation on the roof of its East Gwillimbury distribution centre, generating up to 25% of the site’s annual electricity and marking a new step for the Canadian logistics sector.
Savion, a Shell subsidiary, transfers majority ownership of five solar projects to Tango Holdings, 80% owned by Ares, to optimise the U.S. renewable electricity production portfolio and improve the profitability of the oil group’s investments.
Investment fund KKR is committing $335mn in a strategic partnership with CleanPeak Energy to accelerate the rollout of solar, storage and microgrid solutions aimed at Australian businesses.
Bluebird Solar is initiating a significant investment plan in Greater Noida to increase its production capacity to 2.5 GW and integrate automated lines powered by artificial intelligence.
TotalEnergies ENEOS has commissioned a 680-kilowatt photovoltaic facility at TechnipFMC’s Johor Bahru site, supplying 20% of the factory’s energy needs under an 18-year power purchase agreement.
Voltalia has been selected for the construction of two photovoltaic plants in Ireland, totalling 92.9 megawatts, further strengthening its presence in the country’s solar infrastructure market.
The latest report from the International Renewable Energy Agency confirms the cost superiority of renewables, but highlights persistent challenges for grid integration and access to financing in emerging markets.
EDP Renewables North America and California Water Service have entered into a 20-year agreement to supply solar energy to a strategic Bakersfield site, reducing grid energy costs by about $1.7mn over the contract duration.
Solar growth in the European Union is seeing its first annual contraction in ten years, following reduced subsidies and shifting budget priorities in several member states.
Scatec secures the development of a 846 MW photovoltaic cluster in the Free State province, with an investment of ZAR13bn ($735mn), following the seventh round of South Africa's REIPPPP programme.
Enbridge invests $0.9bn in a 600 MW solar facility in Texas, fully dedicated to powering Meta Platforms, Inc.'s data centres through a long-term power purchase agreement.
ENGIE has announced the acquisition of 22 distributed solar projects in Pennsylvania, further strengthening its renewable energy expansion strategy while supporting the local economy and enhancing the reliability of the distribution grid.
Estuary Power commissions the Escape Solar and Storage project in Nevada, integrating 185 megawatts of solar capacity and securing enhanced financing from institutional investors to supply electricity to several major players in the leisure sector.
New anti-dumping tariffs and Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) restrictions are disrupting the US solar supply chain, while ongoing dependence on China exposes the industry to significant risks, according to Wood Mackenzie.
Sri Lanka and the International Solar Alliance (ISA) have signed a strategic partnership to accelerate solar energy deployment in the country, aiming for 70% renewable energy by 2030.
Sunrun announced the pricing of its $431 million securitization, involving leases and power purchase agreements. This marks the company’s 14th public securitization and its third of 2025.
Resalta has completed the acquisition of Statkraft’s Croatian platform, expanding its presence in renewable energy across Eastern Europe, with a portfolio of projects and a full local team.
Gaia Renewables 1 has acquired a 10% stake in two solar power plants in the Northern Cape, following regulatory approval and financial close, strengthening its portfolio of independent assets.
Dutch firm Gutami Holding has signed a 25-year agreement with Burkina Faso and national utility SONABEL for a 150 MW solar project with 50 MW storage, valued at over €100mn ($109mn).
SOFAZ acquires 49% of a 14-plant solar portfolio held by Enfinity Global in Lazio and Emilia-Romagna, reinforcing its long-term stable investment strategy.