PCL’s long-standing relationship with the project owner’s parent company, Chevron Corporation, resulted in Chevron Technology Ventures, turning to PCL to sole source negotiate the eight-acre solar demonstration field known as Project Brightfield.

The project was awarded to PCL based on demonstrated experience with the parent company, past safety performance, and ability to meet the schedule and price. The added benefit of PCL’s ability to fabricate the metal piles and racking systems that support the panel arrays kept costs down.

The project, created on the site of a former Chevron refinery, evaluates seven emerging photovoltaic technologies to help determine the potential application of renewable power at other company-owned facilities. The site generates approximately 750kW of electricity, and the produced power is directed to the local utility grid, as well as to Chevron's oil production operations at the Kern River Field.