California’s largest solar energy project won approval Tuesday with the Kern County Board of Supervisors’ 4-0 vote in favor of a 2-gigawatt photovoltaic installation expected to create 1,300 construction jobs at its peak and generate tax revenue of $1.5 billion during its roughly three-decade lifespan. Complete with batteries capable of delivering 16 gigawatt-hours of energy, the Buttonbush Solar and Storage project represents a significant shift, in that Kern’s other utility-scale solar farms are located in the eastern portion of the county. San Diego-based developer Avantus says it chose western Kern for its transmission capacity and because farmland there is under stress from groundwater management regulations.

Other groundwater management news:

• SJV Water (Bakersfield, Calif.): Program to protect Lemoore-area drinking water wells approved by groundwater agency
• The Land Desk: Blog: The water footprint of Arizona’s copper mines