The installation will also help local utilities meet the California Renewables Portfolio Standard of generating 33 percent of power from renewable resources by 2020.

PITTSBURGH--Power management company Eaton today announced multiple contracts to provide solar inverters, electrical distribution equipment and services for the 72.9-megawatt Redwood Solar Farm in Kern County, California. The project, developed by sPower and 8minutenergy Renewables, is expected to generate 146 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of sustainable electricity annually to power approximately 9,200 California homes and reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to removing approximately 21,000 passenger vehicles from the road over the same time period. The installation will also help local utilities meet the California Renewables Portfolio Standard of generating 33 percent of power from renewable resources by 2020. The terms of this contract were not disclosed.

"This project will demonstrate California's national leadership in developing clean, renewable power generation to support the energy needs of communities and businesses," said Kleber Facchini, solar inverter product manager, Eaton. "Through Eaton's proven solar solutions and the project team's technical expertise and impressive track record, this installation will provide a national model for the large-scale potential of renewable power generation."

Located on 345 acres of low productivity farmland, the 72.9 MW-direct current (dc) project is the first phase in what could ultimately be a larger solar project. sPower and 8minutenergy expect Redwood Solar Farm to begin generating clean sustainable power in June to August 2015. Once the aggregated solar project is complete, Southern California Edison (SCE), Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and the City of Palo Alto Utilities will receive the power produced from the solar arrays to power California homes and businesses through signed Power Purchase Agreements (PPA).

The photovoltaic (PV) projects will tap Eaton solutions and services to help maximize energy harvest, while reducing installation costs and simplifying maintenance. Under the contracts, Eaton will supply its Power Xpert 1670-kilowatt (kW) solar inverters and direct-coupled, Cooper Power series transformers, which are designed to help increase electrical resiliency in large commercial and utility-scale, grid-connect applications. The project will also incorporate a range of additional Eaton power distribution solutions, including: custom AC switchboards for convenient auxiliary power, and group mounted 1000 Vdc Crouse-Hinds series solar disconnects, as well as startup and commissioning services for enhanced system safety and reliability.

Eaton received the contracts from Gehrlicher Solar America Corp., which previously signed an agreement with 8minutenergy to lead engineering, procurement, construction (EPC) and commissioning for the project.

With a robust portfolio of electrical balance of system solutions, and a team of experienced engineers, Eaton builds solar systems tailored to customer requirements and provides the skills needed to successfully complete a project, including post-installation measurement and verification, and maintenance. For more information, visit www.eaton.com/solar.

8minutenergy Renewables develops, finances, engineers, constructs, holds, operates and maintains solar projects. To date, 8minutenergy Renewables has been awarded over 1,150 MW in PPAs; secured more than 1,200 MW in General Interconnection Agreements (GIA); obtained Conditional Use Permits (CUP) for more than 12,000 acres; and has 15,000 acres of land under development. 8minutenergy has offices in Los Angeles, Folsom, San Francisco, San Diego and El Centro, California. For more information, please call (916) 608-9060, send email to info@8minutenergy.com or visit www.8minutenergy.com.

Headquartered in Salt Lake City, with offices in San Francisco and New York City, sPower is a leading independent power producer (IPP) that owns and/or operates more than 130 utility and distributed electrical generation systems across the United States. With greater than a gigawatt between construction and pipeline, sPower is active in developing renewable assets in any stage of development in North America and the UK. sPower is a portfolio company of Fir Tree Partners, a leading global investment fund with more than 20 years of investing history and approximately $13 billion of capital under management. To learn more, visit www.spower.com.

Gehrlicher Solar America Corporation - a Company of the M+W Group, builds commercial and utility renewable energy systems for utilities, corporations, and government agencies. Leveraging over 550MW of solar engineering, procurement, construction (EPC), and operations and maintenance (O&M), Gehrlicher Solar America Corporation designs and builds systems to maximize economic return and sustainable benefits for our clients. For more information, visit www.gehrlichersolar.us.

Eaton's electrical business is a global leader with expertise in power distribution and circuit protection; backup power protection; control and automation; lighting and security; structural solutions and wiring devices; solutions for harsh and hazardous environments; and engineering services. Eaton is positioned through its global solutions to answer today's most critical electrical power management challenges.

Eaton is a power management company with 2014 sales of $22.6 billion. Eaton provides energy-efficient solutions that help our customers effectively manage electrical, hydraulic and mechanical power more efficiently, safely and sustainably. Eaton has approximately 102,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 175 countries. For more information, visit www.eaton.com.