[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":349},["ShallowReactive",2],{"header":3,"footer":26,"footer-cities":54,"content-\u002Fnews\u002Fstudy-says-rural-solar-can-feed-ai-data-centers-fresno-county-fits":235},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"description":10,"extension":13,"links":14,"meta":20,"navigation":21,"path":22,"seo":23,"stem":24,"__hash__":25},"header\u002Fheader.md","Central Valley AI",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":9},"minimark",[],{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":12},"",2,[],"md",[15],{"label":16,"to":17,"icon":19},"News",{"path":18},"\u002Fnews\u002F","mdi-newspaper-variant-outline",{},true,"\u002Fheader",{"title":5,"description":10},"header","ceT4J-WxxOBdbhRC-UD3fo0Npu7vWt2o2B9b_LURPmE",{"id":27,"title":28,"body":29,"copyright":33,"description":10,"developedBy":34,"extension":13,"links":41,"meta":49,"navigation":21,"path":50,"seo":51,"stem":52,"__hash__":53},"footer\u002Ffooter.md","Footer",{"type":7,"value":30,"toc":31},[],{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":32},[],"© {year} All rights reserved.",{"label":35,"link":36},"Developed by",{"label":37,"to":38,"target":39,"logo":40},"Kaweah Tech","https:\u002F\u002Fkaweah.tech","_blank","https:\u002F\u002Fassets.kaweah.tech\u002Flogo-black-on-transparent-tight.svg",[42,43,46],{"label":16,"to":18},{"label":44,"to":45},"About","\u002Fabout\u002F",{"label":47,"to":48},"Privacy Policy","\u002Fprivacy-policy\u002F",{},"\u002Ffooter",{"description":10},"footer","Ras2AGS8Wuda4aBPrbAbOivaxIsAoDbo9SNCA0w554g",[55,85,123,154,181,208],{"id":56,"title":57,"body":58,"county":77,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":78,"meta":79,"navigation":21,"path":80,"seo":81,"stem":82,"tag":83,"__hash__":84},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fbakersfield.md","Bakersfield",{"type":7,"value":59,"toc":74},[60,65],[61,62,64],"h2",{"id":63},"ai-in-bakersfield","AI in Bakersfield",[66,67,68,69,73],"p",{},"Bakersfield's AI conversation sits at the intersection of municipal government, the ",[70,71,72],"strong",{},"California State University Bakersfield"," community, and the energy and ag operators that drive Kern County's economy. The city was an early mover on AI-assisted permitting and has been a recurring backdrop for parent- and teacher-led debates about classroom AI use. Articles below follow specific Bakersfield initiatives, public-meeting decisions, and Kern County workforce stories — and how they reflect national AI trends from a regional vantage point.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":75},[76],{"id":63,"depth":11,"text":64},"Kern County","Bakersfield and the surrounding Kern County are home to some of the most concrete AI-in-government experiments in the Central Valley, from instant municipal permitting to school-district debates about classroom AI. Coverage on this page tracks how AI is reshaping public services, education, and the energy and agriculture economies that dominate the region.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fbakersfield",{"title":57,"description":10},"cities\u002Fbakersfield","bakersfield","ozFL4HvDA_g7UrRE1mHbKqcS-vDLwbiH9JWVh3rB2Ac",{"id":86,"title":87,"body":88,"county":115,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":116,"meta":117,"navigation":21,"path":118,"seo":119,"stem":120,"tag":121,"__hash__":122},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Ffresno.md","Fresno",{"type":7,"value":89,"toc":112},[90,94,109],[61,91,93],{"id":92},"ai-in-fresno","AI in Fresno",[66,95,96,97,100,101,104,105,108],{},"Fresno's AI story spans several distinct ecosystems. ",[70,98,99],{},"Fresno State"," and the ",[70,102,103],{},"California State University"," system anchor a workforce-readiness push, while local ",[70,106,107],{},"Fresno Unified School District"," debates around responsible use have made the city a recurring reference point in California's K-12 AI conversation. The city's economic base in agriculture, healthcare, and public services means most AI adoption stories here are about applied uses rather than model development — a different posture than coastal tech hubs but arguably more consequential for the people living here.",[66,110,111],{},"Use the articles below to follow how AI is showing up in Fresno-area institutions and businesses.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":113},[114],{"id":92,"depth":11,"text":93},"Fresno County","Fresno is the largest city in California's Central Valley and the regional center for AI adoption across agriculture, healthcare, higher education, and small business. Coverage on this page tracks how AI is being applied — and contested — in and around the city of Fresno and Fresno County.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Ffresno",{"title":87,"description":10},"cities\u002Ffresno","fresno","gOL2xk8y9t9OV6PPxP02OjYhZFHC_Cg-VGijh_V93dI",{"id":124,"title":125,"body":126,"county":146,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":147,"meta":148,"navigation":21,"path":149,"seo":150,"stem":151,"tag":152,"__hash__":153},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fmerced.md","Merced",{"type":7,"value":127,"toc":143},[128,132],[61,129,131],{"id":130},"ai-in-merced","AI in Merced",[66,133,134,135,138,139,142],{},"Merced is a research-heavy node in the Central Valley AI ecosystem. ",[70,136,137],{},"UC Merced"," faculty appear in national conversations about AI safety, autonomous vehicles, climate modeling, and pediatric health applications, while the ",[70,140,141],{},"Merced Unified School District"," and surrounding county institutions navigate the same K-12 and workforce questions the rest of the Valley faces. The articles below cover both the campus research story and the broader applied uses around the city and county.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":144},[145],{"id":130,"depth":11,"text":131},"Merced County","Merced punches above its weight in AI research, anchored by UC Merced — a leading West Coast hub for AI in agriculture, climate, autonomous systems, and health. Coverage on this page tracks both academic research coming out of the campus and how AI is showing up across Merced's schools, businesses, and county institutions.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fmerced",{"title":125,"description":10},"cities\u002Fmerced","merced","pSWWlEzMdcv2_RZrUKdkEHU3bixNboePGdHbSdd1m34",{"id":155,"title":156,"body":157,"county":173,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":174,"meta":175,"navigation":21,"path":176,"seo":177,"stem":178,"tag":179,"__hash__":180},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fmodesto.md","Modesto",{"type":7,"value":158,"toc":170},[159,163],[61,160,162],{"id":161},"ai-in-modesto","AI in Modesto",[66,164,165,166,169],{},"Modesto's AI conversation tends to combine ag-tech adoption stories with workforce-readiness questions for the city's small and mid-sized employers. ",[70,167,168],{},"CSU Stanislaus"," and the regional community college network shape the higher-ed angle. Coverage below follows Modesto-area AI announcements and the wider Stanislaus County context.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":171},[172],{"id":161,"depth":11,"text":162},"Stanislaus County","Modesto and Stanislaus County sit between the Bay Area and the southern Valley, and their AI story reflects that bridging role — from agriculture and food processing to the **California State University Stanislaus** community to small businesses adapting to AI-driven changes in marketing, hiring, and operations.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fmodesto",{"title":156,"description":10},"cities\u002Fmodesto","modesto","l75Dc40MX8wTb4lD088Yx9we4ypuDwmcvE-uEdqqREc",{"id":182,"title":183,"body":184,"county":200,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":201,"meta":202,"navigation":21,"path":203,"seo":204,"stem":205,"tag":206,"__hash__":207},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fstockton.md","Stockton",{"type":7,"value":185,"toc":197},[186,190],[61,187,189],{"id":188},"ai-in-stockton","AI in Stockton",[66,191,192,193,196],{},"Stockton's economic base in logistics, healthcare, and higher education gives the city a different AI profile than the southern Valley. ",[70,194,195],{},"University of the Pacific"," anchors the academic conversation, while San Joaquin County government, hospitals, and warehouse operators are navigating practical adoption questions: cost, training, security, workforce impact. The articles below track Stockton-area AI announcements and the broader San Joaquin County context.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":198},[199],{"id":188,"depth":11,"text":189},"San Joaquin County","Stockton and San Joaquin County sit at the northern edge of the Central Valley, where logistics, healthcare, and the University of the Pacific shape the local AI adoption story. Coverage on this page follows how AI is being put to work — and questioned — across San Joaquin County's institutions, employers, and public services.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fstockton",{"title":183,"description":10},"cities\u002Fstockton","stockton","TYEBK9akp2HbpAFmYY67FeKt7Rs7L8tvtYeQBtgJAHw",{"id":209,"title":210,"body":211,"county":227,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":228,"meta":229,"navigation":21,"path":230,"seo":231,"stem":232,"tag":233,"__hash__":234},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fvisalia.md","Visalia",{"type":7,"value":212,"toc":224},[213,217],[61,214,216],{"id":215},"ai-in-visalia","AI in Visalia",[66,218,219,220,223],{},"Visalia's AI footprint is grounded in the practical adoption stories that come with a Tulare County economy built around agriculture, food processing, and rural healthcare. ",[70,221,222],{},"College of the Sequoias"," and the surrounding K-12 districts anchor the education conversation. The articles below cover Visalia-area AI developments and the Tulare County context, with a focus on applied uses rather than research or model development.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":225},[226],{"id":215,"depth":11,"text":216},"Tulare County","Visalia is the largest city in Tulare County and a center for agriculture, healthcare, and county-government services in the southern Central Valley. Coverage on this page tracks how AI is being adopted across Tulare County's schools, hospitals, ag operations, and small business community.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fvisalia",{"title":210,"description":10},"cities\u002Fvisalia","visalia","gN4g7aAl-cqD4FfSTgtTAarltUoKLh8NFlPzCbZngqU",{"id":236,"title":237,"archived":238,"author":239,"body":240,"date":337,"dateModified":337,"description":338,"extension":13,"meta":339,"navigation":21,"path":340,"rawbody":341,"seo":342,"sitemap":343,"stem":344,"tags":345,"__hash__":348},"news\u002Fnews\u002Fstudy-says-rural-solar-can-feed-ai-data-centers-fresno-county-fits.md","Study says rural solar can feed AI data centers; Fresno County fits",false,"CVAI Newsdesk",{"type":7,"value":241,"toc":330},[242,246,250,266,270,273,276,280,283,286,289,293,296,299,302,317,320,324],[243,244,237],"h1",{"id":245},"study-says-rural-solar-can-feed-ai-data-centers-fresno-county-fits",[61,247,249],{"id":248},"key-takeaways","Key Takeaways",[251,252,253,257,260,263],"ol",{},[254,255,256],"li",{},"A Next 10 and University of Pennsylvania study says rural, solar-adjacent data centers could use curtailed power in California.",[254,258,259],{},"E&E News frames the study as a possible assist to President Trump’s build-out of AI data centers while keeping bills down.",[254,261,262],{},"Transmission congestion strands some Central Valley solar, making Fresno and Kings counties candidates for this approach.",[254,264,265],{},"The California Energy Commission says data centers now draw about 1,000 MW, roughly 2% of CAISO peak demand.",[61,267,269],{"id":268},"what-the-new-study-argues","What the new study argues",[66,271,272],{},"Twenty-three percent. That’s how much solar curtailment grew in California from 2023 to 2024, according to a study from nonprofit Next 10 led by University of Pennsylvania researcher Benjamin Lee. The report models a 20‑megawatt data center located near solar plants and finds bigger gains when paired with a 10‑megawatt battery. The idea is simple enough: put big computing where the stranded midday electrons already are.",[66,274,275],{},"E&E News connected that proposal to President Donald Trump’s stated goal of adding AI data centers while promising lower utility bills. California’s grid has struggled to move all of its midday solar to the cities that need it, and the study suggests rural siting could soak up power that now goes unused. That lands squarely on the Central Valley’s Westside.",[61,277,279],{"id":278},"why-it-matters-in-the-valley","Why it matters in the Valley",[66,281,282],{},"The Central Valley produces a lot of that midday solar. Transmission bottlenecks mean some power generated near Huron never makes it over the hills. Westlands Solar Park, spread across western Fresno and Kings counties, is the kind of area the study describes: utility‑scale solar along major lines like Gates. If companies put server halls near those interties and added on‑site batteries, they could run more hours on cheap local supply and cut curtailment that now frustrates generators.",[66,284,285],{},"For Fresno County readers, this is the local piece. Data center jobs are limited in number but tend to be steady and high wage, and projects bring construction work plus tax agreements the board will scrutinize. The California Energy Commission’s planning forecast pegs current data center load at about 1,000 megawatts statewide, roughly 2 percent of peak demand, and staff expect growth. Cooling water, noise, backup generation, and traffic during buildout are the questions the supervisors will press.",[66,287,288],{},"The valley heat shimmered across I‑5 by midafternoon.",[61,290,292],{"id":291},"what-officials-and-companies-are-weighing","What officials and companies are weighing",[66,294,295],{},"The White House has promoted a ratepayer pledge from utilities and tech firms that’s meant to keep household bills from rising as data centers scale up. Industry groups say new facilities will add their own generation or storage so they don’t pile onto stressed grids. Critics point out that transmission upgrades still cost money, and that on‑site power at a server farm doesn’t always run when the grid needs it most, so the siting details matter.",[66,297,298],{},"E&E’s piece notes California’s advantage, despite national policy swings. Solar growth here is real, grid constraints are specific, and rural parcels exist where environmental reviews are known quantities. For Fresno and Kings counties, that means proposals will likely target land already mapped for energy and within reach of gates and substations. The boardrooms will want firm answers on water supply, diesel backup limits, and how much local hiring gets written into agreements, because they should.",[66,300,301],{},"Rows of panels throwing a hard glare outside Huron told the story long before the study did.",[66,303,304],{},[305,306,307,308,310,311,316],"em",{},"Central Valley AI is produced by the ",[70,309,239],{}," team and developed by ",[312,313,37],"a",{"href":38,"rel":314},[315],"nofollow",", a regional firm that builds, deploys, and integrates AI solutions for businesses across California's Central Valley.",[318,319],"hr",{},[61,321,323],{"id":322},"source","Source",[66,325,326],{},[312,327,328],{"href":328,"rel":329},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.eenews.net\u002Farticles\u002Fhow-solar-power-could-aid-trumps-ai-agenda\u002F",[315],{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":331},[332,333,334,335,336],{"id":248,"depth":11,"text":249},{"id":268,"depth":11,"text":269},{"id":278,"depth":11,"text":279},{"id":291,"depth":11,"text":292},{"id":322,"depth":11,"text":323},"2026-07-28","A Next 10 and University of Pennsylvania study says data centers near Central Valley solar could use wasted power, a setup that aligns with the White House’s AI push.",{},"\u002Fnews\u002Fstudy-says-rural-solar-can-feed-ai-data-centers-fresno-county-fits","---\nauthor: CVAI Newsdesk\ndate: '2026-07-28'\ndateModified: '2026-07-28'\ndescription: A Next 10 and University of Pennsylvania study says data centers near\n  Central Valley solar could use wasted power, a setup that aligns with the White\n  House’s AI push.\ntags:\n- energy\n- policy\n- fresno\ntitle: Study says rural solar can feed AI data centers; Fresno County fits\n---\n\n# Study says rural solar can feed AI data centers; Fresno County fits\n\n## Key Takeaways\n\n1. A Next 10 and University of Pennsylvania study says rural, solar-adjacent data centers could use curtailed power in California.\n2. E&E News frames the study as a possible assist to President Trump’s build-out of AI data centers while keeping bills down.\n3. Transmission congestion strands some Central Valley solar, making Fresno and Kings counties candidates for this approach.\n4. The California Energy Commission says data centers now draw about 1,000 MW, roughly 2% of CAISO peak demand.\n\n## What the new study argues\n\nTwenty-three percent. That’s how much solar curtailment grew in California from 2023 to 2024, according to a study from nonprofit Next 10 led by University of Pennsylvania researcher Benjamin Lee. The report models a 20‑megawatt data center located near solar plants and finds bigger gains when paired with a 10‑megawatt battery. The idea is simple enough: put big computing where the stranded midday electrons already are.\n\nE&E News connected that proposal to President Donald Trump’s stated goal of adding AI data centers while promising lower utility bills. California’s grid has struggled to move all of its midday solar to the cities that need it, and the study suggests rural siting could soak up power that now goes unused. That lands squarely on the Central Valley’s Westside.\n\n## Why it matters in the Valley\n\nThe Central Valley produces a lot of that midday solar. Transmission bottlenecks mean some power generated near Huron never makes it over the hills. Westlands Solar Park, spread across western Fresno and Kings counties, is the kind of area the study describes: utility‑scale solar along major lines like Gates. If companies put server halls near those interties and added on‑site batteries, they could run more hours on cheap local supply and cut curtailment that now frustrates generators.\n\nFor Fresno County readers, this is the local piece. Data center jobs are limited in number but tend to be steady and high wage, and projects bring construction work plus tax agreements the board will scrutinize. The California Energy Commission’s planning forecast pegs current data center load at about 1,000 megawatts statewide, roughly 2 percent of peak demand, and staff expect growth. Cooling water, noise, backup generation, and traffic during buildout are the questions the supervisors will press.\n\nThe valley heat shimmered across I‑5 by midafternoon.\n\n## What officials and companies are weighing\n\nThe White House has promoted a ratepayer pledge from utilities and tech firms that’s meant to keep household bills from rising as data centers scale up. Industry groups say new facilities will add their own generation or storage so they don’t pile onto stressed grids. Critics point out that transmission upgrades still cost money, and that on‑site power at a server farm doesn’t always run when the grid needs it most, so the siting details matter.\n\nE&E’s piece notes California’s advantage, despite national policy swings. Solar growth here is real, grid constraints are specific, and rural parcels exist where environmental reviews are known quantities. For Fresno and Kings counties, that means proposals will likely target land already mapped for energy and within reach of gates and substations. The boardrooms will want firm answers on water supply, diesel backup limits, and how much local hiring gets written into agreements, because they should.\n\nRows of panels throwing a hard glare outside Huron told the story long before the study did.\n\n*Central Valley AI is produced by the **CVAI Newsdesk** team and developed by [Kaweah Tech](https:\u002F\u002Fkaweah.tech), a regional firm that builds, deploys, and integrates AI solutions for businesses across California's Central Valley.*\n\n---\n\n## Source\n\nhttps:\u002F\u002Fwww.eenews.net\u002Farticles\u002Fhow-solar-power-could-aid-trumps-ai-agenda\u002F\n",{"title":237,"description":338},{"loc":340},"news\u002Fstudy-says-rural-solar-can-feed-ai-data-centers-fresno-county-fits",[346,347,121],"energy","policy","hlI19xFzTnZbDHJluNyb_-wN7PQeuicr6XyC6cm3BwU",1785199088786]