Farm in Lemoore helping provide power for families throughout the Golden State

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Westlands Solar Park in Lemoore is already producing clean energy for tens of thousands of families in Sacramento and Santa Clara counties, according to California's Natural Resources Secretary.

Wade Crowfoot called the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Aquamarine solar project a remarkable milestone.

"When it's done, it's going to have what I call a real needle-moving impact on our ability to generate the amount of clean energy that we need to generate," he said.

CIM Group owns the solar park.

Business partners signed a commemorative panel and called this project a flag bearer in the state's use of renewable energy.

"This is a great opportunity to showcase what solar can do for California and the world," says Solv Energy CEO George Hershman.

Crowfoot says ongoing impacts brought on by the drought and climate change means we all have to change the way we use and produce energy.

"We know we have to move to 100% clean energy and that is the target," he said. "That is the law of the land in California, to move to that 100% clean energy by 2045."

This is just the first of several building phases at Westlands Solar Park.

CIM Group says at full build-out, the solar park would have the capacity to generate 2.7 gigawatts, which would be enough to power more than 1.2 million homes.