In a move that screams future-forward, San Bernardino County - America's largest county by land mass - is stepping up its clean energy and walkable community game, showing the rest of the country how sustainability is done. According to a report by Site Selection magazine, a whopping $1 billion is being pumped into a new solar energy project by Clearway Energy Group, aimed at building a massive 394-MW solar array along with a battery storage system near the town of Dagget.
Frontier Communities isn't just sitting back either; they're busy constructing a luxe, Tuscan-themed housing development, dubbed Vasari at Ventana, that promises more than just a roof over your head - think fountains straight out of Italy and streets that echo the walkability and opulence of Tuscany itself, all this nestled within the burgeoning suburb of north Fontana. These plans come as a part of the county's larger commitment towards a green and pedestrian-friendly ethos, as Frontier's vice president of planning, Andrew Wennerstrom, said in an interview with Site Selection magazine, "This whole community will be extremely walkable when you get home from work, you are done with your car."
On the energy front, Clearway isn't alone in harnessing San Bernardino's sunshine; Electrify America has announced its own solar project, Solar Glow 1 - a fitting name, launched as per a 15-year agreement with Terra-Gen. With an output that could potentially keep 500 EVs juiced up at once, Robert Barrosa, CEO of Electrify America, told Site Selection, “Electrify America Solar Glow 1 is an important milestone in our commitment to reduce our energy carbon footprint.” This energy initiative is a pivotal piece in the county's vision to temper its natural treasures with technological strides, shaping an environment that caters to the eco-conscious and the tech-savvy in equal measure.
These developments in San Bernardino County are testaments to a rapidly adapting American landscape where the confluence of development, luxury, and sustainable living is not only possible but becoming the expected standard, such efforts not only parallel a nationwide pivot toward renewable energy but also anchor the county's reputation as a leading figure in the race for a greener, more sustainable future that balances technological advancement with an inherent respect for the planet's well-being.
