REC Solar and Ventura Energy have completed a 1.73-MW solar project at Farmers Irrigation Company’s Santa Paula site. Two rooftop solar arrays were installed on newly-constructed reservoir covers, a key component of Farmers Irrigation Company’s broader infrastructure modernization efforts to transition its water distribution from a gravity-fed system to a pressurized system. Motive Energy served as the EPC partner for the project.
This project reflects a successful collaboration between strategic partners, pairing REC Solar’s long-term ownership and operational model under a 25-year PPA with Ventura Energy. Together, the partners delivered a customized clean energy solution designed to generate approximately $12 million in total energy value over its lifetime and deliver $5 million in net savings that will directly reduce operating costs for Farmers Irrigation Company’s member farms and agricultural businesses.
“Farmers Irrigation Company has been a pillar of Ventura County’s agriculture industry for well over a century, and REC Solar is proud to support their work of integrating renewable energy into new, modernized operations,” said Scott Therein, REC Solar Director of Strategic Partnerships. “Strong, collaborative relationships with partners like Ventura Energy are essential in delivering energy solutions that can provide value to all involved parties. Together, we’re helping Farmers Irrigation Company and their members secure a cleaner, more reliable future.”
Founded in 1879 to deliver water to farms across Ventura County, Farmers Irrigation Company long relied on gravity-fed canals and pipelines. Transitioning to a pressurized distribution system will improve reliability, flexibility and system control across the cooperative’s water delivery operations. Because pressurized systems require significantly more energy, solar generation offers substantial value as Farmers Irrigation Company future-proofs its operations. Their modernization efforts will make Ventura County agriculture more water, energy, and cost efficient.
“This project gives greater confidence in the long-term stability of our water delivery system,” said Barney Caudill, General Manager of Farmers Irrigation Company. “Having a predictable and cost‑effective source of power strengthens our ability to manage expenses and continue investing in the services our agricultural community depends on.”
In addition to operational savings, the project highlights how local developers and long‑term energy owner-operators can work together to modernize essential agricultural infrastructure across the region.
“Ventura Energy is proud to partner with REC Solar and Farmers Irrigation Company on a project that reflects exactly the kind of collaborative work our team strives for,” said Clara Nagy McBane, CEO of Ventura Energy. “This is a powerful example of how local developers and IPPs can work together to modernize essential infrastructure. By pairing high‑value solar generation with Farmers Irrigation Company’s new pressurized system, we’re helping create a more resilient, cost‑efficient future for agricultural businesses throughout Ventura County.”
News item from REC Solar
