Sugar Valley Energy Receives California Jobs First Grant to Support $1.28 Billion Renewable Project

California Ethanol + Power (CE+P) and the Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation (IVEDC) announced that the Sugar Valley Energy (SVE) campus has been awarded a Jobs First Grant through the Southern Border Jobs First Collaborative. The grant will fund geotechnical engineering, foundation design, and procurement for SVE’s $1.28 billion renewable infrastructure project, which will create 250 direct full-time jobs and over 15,000 jobs during planning and construction phases.

The project aims to produce 73 million gallons of low-carbon ethanol, 771 million standard cubic feet of renewable natural gas, and 41 megawatts of renewable electricity annually from sugarcane cultivated on 48,000 acres. Imperial County has a 20.2% unemployment rate as of July 2025. The Jobs First Grant will enhance workforce development, support agricultural diversification, and attract over $200 million in federal investment tax credits.