Aratina is the ninth project in Kern County developed by Avantus. With every system we build, we strive to bring positive change to Kern County and the local communities where they operate.

Below is a brief snapshot of the benefits this project will bring at the local level.

Avantus is committed to being a good neighbor, which means taking the time to understand local communities’ values and needs, and identifying opportunities to contribute in meaningful ways. We believe that local communities should benefit from businesses operating in the area. As the project progresses, we are excited to partner with local organizations in Boron and Desert Lake.

Local organizations and events we have partnered with to support include:  

• Kern County Libraries’ Story Tours mobile library program in Boron

• Kern County Libraries Backpack Giveaway in Boron

• Kern County Libraries STEM craft programs across East Kern County

• Reggie’s Kicks for Kids sporting equipment and league registration fees

• Boron Alive! Thanksgiving dinners

• Boron Alive! Stray animals program

• Boron Senior Center Thanksgiving & Holiday Dinners

• Boron Fire Station 17 workout equipment

• Boron High School Easter Carnival

• Boron VFW

• Edwards AFB Force Support Squadron Easter Egg-Stravaganza

• Edwards AFB Force Support Squadron Summer Reading Program

• Edwards AFB Force Support Squadron Winterfest

• Mojave CHP CHiPs for Kids

• Desert Tortoise Preserve Committee 50th Anniversary

• Cheers to Charity Festival Fundraiser

What’s next? We’d love to hear from you. We want to learn about local projects, events, and programs that will enhance your community and leave a lasting impact. As a renewable energy company, we are especially interested in educational endeavors that will inspire and support the next generation of scientists, engineers, and tradespeople to take the industry to new heights. Please share your thoughts with us here.

Over the course of its lifetime, Aratina is expected to generate over $30 million in local tax revenue that could go toward an array of services like schools, public safety, and street services. For example, recently, Kern County tax revenue has funded upgrades to Boron’s local park and helped reopen the Boron Community Building.

During the construction phase, Aratina is estimated to create approximately 570 construction jobs paying between $31 and $75 an hour. Local restaurants, gas stations, markets, and more will also see a significant uptick in business throughout the construction period.

We prioritize hiring locally whenever possible and have secured labor agreements with multiple local unions, as we have with all our other Kern County projects. Upon completion, we expect to employ a team of up to 10 in full-time operations, security, and maintenance roles.

Interested in learning more about employment and training opportunities? For our past projects, job fairs and training programs were hosted in partnership with the project team, labor unions, and local stakeholders, and we expect the same for Aratina. As the project progresses, we’ll share relevant information on job fairs and employment opportunities here on the website. Click here for apprenticeship program information.  

Aratina will generate clean, reliable electricity to help California meet its clean energy goals and also fight the rising temperatures that threaten species and ecosystems across the state. The project is estimated to offset about 860,000 metric tons of carbon emissions every year, which is the annual equivalent to planting 14 million trees or removing 180,000 cars from the road.

Our fundamental business strategy aims to secure energy independence, while addressing air pollution and protecting public health. Our projects, like Aratina, are helping to make this a reality. In addition to the environmental benefits of solar power, sustainability is central to our company culture and impacts every aspect of our approach from project design to construction and operations.

We are proud of our reputation for environmental stewardship. Our past projects have garnered support from respected groups including the Sierra Club, Audubon California, Defenders of Wildlife, and the Natural Resources Defense Council.