The 550MW development project is under a power purchase agreement with utility Pacific Gas and Electric.

California’s OptiSolar has been in negotiation with various western US utilities regarding its 1,300MW project pipeline, which will now be taken up by First Solar. The pipeline will create as many as 400 green collar jobs in California.

In addition, the deal comes with strategic land rights worth approximately 210 sq miles, which have the potential to deploy another 19,000MW of utility-scale solar projects, the company says.

Arizona’s