A small permit with a useful lesson for East Kern owner-users: how Kern County handles solar built to cut a neighboring plant’s power bill.
The MAG Energy solar project in Mojave is a 1,477-kilowatt accessory array on about 10.28 acres at United Street and Laguna Avenue in unincorporated Kern County, California. The Kern County Board of Supervisors approved a conditional use permit for it on July 14, 2026. The power will offset an adjacent industrial user’s electricity use. Mid-American Gunite, doing business as MAG Energy, applied.
The board also rezoned about 162 acres from A-1 to A. Accessory means the array serves a specific user instead of selling power on the wholesale market.
Key takeaways
- Kern County supervisors approved Zone Change Case No. 67 and Conditional Use Permit Case No. 73, Map 213, for MAG Energy on July 14, 2026.
- The permit covers a 1,477-kilowatt solar array on about 10.28 acres built to offset power use at an adjacent industrial operation. The rezoning covers about 162 acres.
- The county filed a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Notice of Exemption. The State Clearinghouse received it on July 16, 2026 (SCH No. 2026070647).
- California industrial customers paid an average of 21.64 cents per kilowatt-hour in the 12 months ended June 2026, about 160% above the U.S. average of 8.33 cents, according to Energy Information Administration (EIA) data.
- A solar facility that begins construction after July 4, 2026 must be in service by Dec. 31, 2027 to claim the federal Section 48E credit.
MAG Energy solar project at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Project | Accessory solar photovoltaic (PV) facility serving an adjacent industrial use |
| Location | Southeast corner of United Street and Laguna Avenue (Silverqueen Road area), near Highway 14, unincorporated Mojave; Section 3, T10N, R12W, SBB&M |
| Parcel | APN 429-102-14 |
| Applicant | Mid-American Gunite, dba MAG Energy (Newport, Mich.) |
| Property owner | Listed separately on the state record; adjacent industrial user not named |
| Jurisdiction | Kern County Board of Supervisors |
| Case numbers | Zone Change Case No. 67, Map 213; Conditional Use Permit Case No. 73, Map 213; SCH No. 2026070647 |
| Size | 1,477 kW on about 10.28 acres; about 162 acres rezoned |
| Zoning | A-1 (Limited Agriculture) to A (Exclusive Agriculture) |
| CEQA | Notice of Exemption, sections 15303(c) and 15061(b)(3); received by State Clearinghouse July 16, 2026 |
| Status | Approved July 14, 2026; no construction schedule published |
| Next step | Construction permitting and utility interconnection; no dates disclosed |
What did Kern County approve for the MAG Energy solar project in Mojave?
The Board of Supervisors approved a zone change and a conditional use permit (CUP) for a 1,477-kilowatt accessory solar array in Mojave on July 14, 2026. A CUP is a discretionary approval that brings a public hearing and environmental review.
According to the county’s meeting recap, supervisors adopted a resolution and enacted an ordinance for “a 1,477-kilowatt accessory solar photovoltaic (PV) facility.” The recap lists no vote count and notes no opposition.
The state’s CEQAnet listing gives the details. Zone Change Case No. 67, Map 213, moves about 162 acres from A-1 to A. Conditional Use Permit Case No. 73, Map 213, allows the array on about 10.28 acres.
The county’s Notice of Exemption says the facility will “offset adjacent industrial usage.” That makes it customer-side, or behind-the-meter, solar. It cuts one user’s grid purchases rather than selling into the wholesale market like the large plants approved elsewhere in East Kern. The notice does not say how the array will connect to that user.
Why was the project exempt from CEQA?
Kern County skipped a full environmental impact report and filed a Notice of Exemption. The notice, signed by the county’s planning director, cites CEQA Guidelines sections 15303(c), part of the small-structures class, and 15061(b)(3), often called the common-sense exemption.
The listing says the Board determined that “it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the action taken may have a significant effect on the environment.” The State Clearinghouse received the notice on July 16, 2026.
Where is the MAG Energy solar site?
The site is at the southeast corner of United Street and Laguna Avenue in unincorporated Mojave, on assessor parcel 429-102-14, per the notice. The CEQAnet listing adds Silverqueen Road as a cross street, names Highway 14 as the nearest state highway and places the land in Section 3, Township 10 North, Range 12 West.
It is an industrial and energy corridor. The same section holds a planned organic waste and anaerobic digestion plant at Silver Queen Road and United Street. The county approved it in 2023 on Map 213, and the Kern Local Agency Formation Commission approved a water-service annexation for it in August 2026. Terra-Gen’s 600-megawatt Galaxy Solar project, approved Sept. 29, 2026, lies on both sides of Silver Queen Road south of Highway 58, PV Tech reported.
County records do not name the industrial user the array will serve. PPG lists an aerospace coatings and sealants plant at 11601 United Street, but no public record confirms that plant is the “adjacent industrial usage” in the permit.
Who is MAG Energy?
MAG Energy is the trade name of Mid-American Gunite, based in Newport, Mich., according to the CEQAnet listing. On its website, the company calls itself an “ESCO and EPC partner” for commercial and industrial facilities. An ESCO is an energy services company, and EPC means engineering, procurement and construction. Its work runs “from audits and design to procurement and installation,” including lighting, HVAC and mechanical upgrades, solar and battery storage.
MAG Energy is part of the Newport-based Mid-American Group, which does refractory shotcrete, maintenance, millwright and construction work for steel mills, power plants, glass plants and other heavy industry. The state listing shows a separate property owner contact based in Pittsburgh. The county’s notice and recap name only MAG Energy.
How does Kern County permit accessory solar for industrial users?
Kern’s zoning ordinance turns on who uses the power. Solar that serves a permitted use on the site, and does not generate more than the site’s demand, is allowed outright. Standalone solar needs a CUP.
Under the county’s Title 19 zoning ordinance, the Exclusive Agriculture (A) and Limited Agriculture (A-1) chapters permit solar generators accessory to a permitted use where “the power generated does not exceed the total on-site power demand.” Solar “when not accessory to a permitted or conditionally permitted use” requires a CUP.
MAG’s array serves an adjacent industrial use, and it went through the CUP process. The records do not explain why the county also rezoned 162 acres, nearly 16 times the array’s footprint. The A district exists to keep incompatible uses off agricultural land, while A-1 allows a mix of estate-type homes, agriculture and other compatible uses.
For owner-users, the practical read is this: panels on your own roof or lot, sized to your own demand, are the simpler path. A field array serving the plant next door is a discretionary permit, so plan for a hearing calendar and not just a building permit.
Why would an industrial owner in Kern County add onsite solar?
Power is expensive in California. The state’s industrial customers paid an average of 21.64 cents per kilowatt-hour in the 12 months ended June 2026, 159.8% above the U.S. average of 8.33 cents, according to EIA data compiled by the Center for Jobs and the Economy on Sept. 16, 2026. Commercial customers paid 26.90 cents. Both rates were the highest among the contiguous states and Washington, D.C.
Export rules push the same way. Under the California Public Utilities Commission’s Net Billing Tariff, which applies to customers who applied to interconnect on or after April 15, 2023, exported power is valued using the commission’s Avoided Cost Calculator. In our view, that favors arrays sized to the load they serve, the same test Kern’s zoning uses for accessory solar. For more on how the rules affect commercial projects, see Kern CRE’s look at NEM 3.0 and commercial solar in Kern County.
Tax deadlines shape the timing
Federal and state tax clocks both matter. Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a solar facility that begins construction after July 4, 2026 must be placed in service by Dec. 31, 2027 to claim the federal Section 48E credit, The Tax Adviser reported in February 2026. Kern CRE’s explainer on the commercial solar tax credit covers the rules in more depth, and its overview of the law’s real estate changes gives the wider context.
IRS Notice 2025-42 had kept an easier 5% cost safe harbor only for solar facilities of 1.5 megawatts maximum net output or less. On June 6, 2026, a federal district court in Washington, D.C. vacated that notice. According to Holland & Knight, the ruling stands unless the IRS issues revised guidance or a court overturns it on appeal. MAG’s array is rated at 1,477 kW, and the county notice does not say whether that figure is AC or DC.
State property tax rules also have a clock. California’s exclusion for new active solar systems covers systems installed by the end of 2026, and SB 710 lets those systems keep the break until the property sells, according to Sen. Catherine Blakespear’s office. No construction schedule for the MAG array has been published.
What does onsite power mean for value and leasing?
Cheaper power can help an industrial building lease and sell. A 2022 brokerage analysis of industrial solar found that onsite systems can, in many cases, offset an electric bill by up to 95%, and that lower energy costs can “encourage tenants to sign longer lease agreements.”
In a Feb. 26, 2026 brokerage release, a national firm said power availability, reliability and costs “are increasingly shaping site selection, development feasibility and asset performance.”
Brokerage data does not reach Mojave. One national brokerage report put Q2 2026 Bakersfield industrial availability at 10.1%, with asking rent averaging $0.71 per square foot per month, triple net. A regional brokerage report measured Bakersfield vacancy at 9.55%. In our view, adjoining land that is zoned and permitted for an accessory array is now part of what a buyer or tenant pays for in East Kern. Title 24 building rules can also require solar on new commercial buildings, as Kern CRE’s Title 24 guide explains.
What happens next for MAG Energy solar in Mojave?
No construction or in-service date has been published. Here is where each piece stands.
- Entitlements: The zone change and CUP were approved July 14, 2026. The county recap does not list conditions of approval.
- CEQA: Filing a Notice of Exemption generally shortens the time to challenge the exemption to 35 days (Pub. Resources Code 21167). Counted from the July 16 State Clearinghouse date, that window closed around Aug. 20, 2026.
- Construction: The next visible steps would be construction permits and a utility interconnection.
- Opposition: The county recap notes none.
Frequently asked questions
What is MAG Energy building in Mojave?
MAG Energy, the trade name of Mid-American Gunite, plans a 1,477-kilowatt solar array on about 10.28 acres at United Street and Laguna Avenue in unincorporated Mojave. County records call it an accessory facility meant to offset power use at an adjacent industrial operation. They do not name that operation.
When did Kern County approve the MAG Energy solar project?
The Board of Supervisors approved it on July 14, 2026, as Item 6 of its afternoon session. Supervisors adopted a resolution and an ordinance covering Zone Change Case No. 67 and Conditional Use Permit Case No. 73, Map 213. The State Clearinghouse logged the county’s exemption notice two days later, on July 16, under SCH No. 2026070647.
What is accessory or behind-the-meter solar?
Accessory solar powers a specific building or operation rather than feeding the wholesale market. People also call it behind-the-meter solar because it shrinks the electricity a user buys from the utility. In Kern County, solar counts as accessory when it supports a permitted use and does not generate more than the site needs.
Does Kern County require a conditional use permit for industrial solar?
It depends on the setup. In the A and A-1 agricultural districts, solar that serves a use on the site and stays within onsite demand is permitted outright. Solar that does not serve a permitted use needs a CUP and a public hearing. MAG Energy’s array, which serves an adjacent industrial user, went through the CUP process.
Why was the MAG Energy project exempt from CEQA?
The county relied on two CEQA Guidelines sections. Section 15303(c) covers small new structures, and section 15061(b)(3) applies when an action clearly cannot have a significant environmental effect. The county therefore filed a Notice of Exemption instead of preparing an environmental impact report.
How much do California industrial users pay for electricity?
California industrial customers averaged 21.64 cents per kilowatt-hour in the 12 months ended June 2026, per EIA data compiled by the Center for Jobs and the Economy. The U.S. average was 8.33 cents, so California ran 159.8% higher. It was also the highest rate among the contiguous states and Washington, D.C.
Own or lease industrial property in East Kern and wondering whether onsite solar, or adjoining land that can host it, changes your property’s value? Call Kern CRE at 855-KERN-CRE (855-537-6273) or contact us. Get Kern County CRE news monthly: subscribe to the Kern CRE report.
Sources
- Board of Supervisors Meeting Recap for July 14, 2026 (PM Item 6, MAG Energy), County of Kern, July 14, 2026.
- Zone Change Case No. 67, Map 213 and Conditional Use Permit Case No. 73, Map 213, Notice of Exemption, SCH 2026070647, CEQAnet (Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation), received July 16, 2026.
- Notice of Exemption, Zone Change Case No. 67 and Conditional Use Permit Case No. 73, Map 213 (MAG Energy, PP26184), Kern County Planning and Natural Resources Department, approval July 14, 2026.
- Kern County Code of Ordinances, Title 19, Chapter 19.12, Exclusive Agriculture (A) District, Municode Library, current.
- MAG Energy home page, MAG Energy.
- Mid-American Group home page, Mid-American Group.
- Coatings & Sealants Manufacturing Locations, PPG Aerospace.
- Notice of Determination, Organics Renewable Energy Facility (Specific Plan Amendment No. 27, Map 213; Conditional Use Permit No. 69, Map 213), Kern County Board of Supervisors, June 2023.
- Meeting minutes, Aug. 19, 2026 (Proposal 1874, Mojave Public Utility District Annexation No. 29), Kern Local Agency Formation Commission, Aug. 19, 2026.
- Galaxy Solar PV and Storage Project, Notice of Determination, SCH 2025081409, CEQAnet, received Oct. 1, 2026.
- Kern County approves 600MW/4GWh solar-plus-storage project from Terra-Gen in California, PV Tech, Sept. 30, 2026.
- California Energy Price Data for August 2026, Center for Jobs and the Economy, Sept. 16, 2026.
- Net Billing Tariff, California Public Utilities Commission.
- Navigating safe-harbor rules for solar and wind Sec. 48E facilities, The Tax Adviser, Feb. 10, 2026.
- Federal Court Vacates IRS Notice 2025-42, Restores 5% Safe Harbor for Wind and Solar Projects, McGuireWoods, June 2026.
- Sen. Blakespear’s legislation to protect solar tax incentive signed by Governor (SB 710), Office of Sen. Catherine Blakespear, Oct. 6, 2025.
- Solar Energy Opportunities in US Industrial Real Estate, CBRE, Nov. 11, 2022.
- Power availability becoming key driver of CRE value, JLL, Feb. 26, 2026.
- Bakersfield Industrial MarketBeat Q2 2026, Cushman & Wakefield, Q2 2026.
- Q2 2026 Bakersfield, CA Industrial Market Report, Lee & Associates, July 2026.
- Section 21167, time limits for CEQA actions, California Public Resources Code via Justia, 2025.
About this article
Kern CRE prepared this article with help from AI research and writing tools. An editor reviewed the draft, checked its facts against the sources linked above and edited it for accuracy and clarity. Details come from public records and the sources cited; unless stated, Kern CRE and ASU Commercial were not involved in the transaction or project.