First Large Scale Solar Projects Approved on Public Lands
EPA, DOT Prepare Fuel Economy Standards for 2017-2025
Solar Returns to the White House
8 Countries Launch Electric Vehicles Initiative
Long-Term Viability of U.S. Coal Plants is at Risk
Clean Energy Conferences Abound Through Year End
Interior Department Approves First Solar Projects on Public Lands
Also on October 5, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) approved the first large-scale solar plants ever to be built on U.S. public lands.
The U.S.-based solar firms behind the projects are getting access to almost 6,800 acres of public lands for 30 years to build and operate the plants. The plants could produce up to 754 MW of solar energy, or enough to power 226,000-566,000 typical U.S. homes. The projects will generate almost 1,000 new solar jobs.
Two kinds of solar technology will be deployed. Tessera Solar's Imperial Valley Solar Project will use Stirling Energy System's SunCatcher technology on 6,360 acres in California's Imperial County. 28,360 solar dishes will produce up to 709 MW, enough to power 212,700-531,750 homes.
The Chevron Lucerne Valley Solar Project, proposed by Chevron Energy Solutions of California, will employ solar PV technology on 422 acres in San Bernardino County. With 40,500 solar panels, it will produce up to 45 MW, enough to power 13,500-33,750 homes.
The Recovery Act's payment for specified energy property in lieu of the tax credit program makes Tessera and Chevron eligible for about $273 million and $31 million, respectively.
The two projects are the first in a series of renewable energy projects on public lands under final review by DOI that would provide thousands of clean energy jobs and advance U.S. clean energy technologies. In April 2009, DOI's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) committed to helping the US reach its clean energy goals by using a "fast track" program to help projects expedite approval. Each project has undergone thorough environmental review. See the DOI press release and the DOI fact sheets on the Imperial Valley and Chevron Lucerne Valley projects.
Other California projects are on the immediate horizon, too. On September 8, the California Energy Commission (CEC) approved construction of the Abengoa Mojave Solar Project, a 250 MW solar thermal parabolic facility planned for San Bernardino County. Construction is slated to begin this year, with commercial service by early 2013.
The CEC has also recently approved several concentrating solar (CSP) projects that await DOI approval, including the 1,000 MW Blythe Solar Power Project, a parabolic trough facility that would be the world's largest CSP power plant; the 250 MW Genesis Solar Energy Project, which will also employ parabolic troughs; and the 370 MW Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating Station, which will be the first large-scale deployment of solar towers in the US (eSolar deployed a 5 MW system in Southern California last year).
See the CEC press releases on licensing the Abengoa Mojave, Blythe, Ivanpah, and Genesis projects; an article on the eSolar power tower and a description of CSP technologies.
