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Renewable energy puts all eyes on the desert

  2. JanforGore
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Speculators have filed applications to develop more than 1 million acres of desert in Southern California with solar, wind and geothermal power plants, setting up a classic clash over land use with environmentalists and off-road enthusiasts.

They have submitted at least 130 proposals with the Bureau of Land Management, which oversees all of the territory, in recent years and especially since 2007. The interest is so hot that even if many of the projects fall through, the remaining ones would change the look of the arid landscape.

California, particularly the southern half, is the epicenter of the nation's push for renewable energy. While some of the bureau's parcels in the state already contain wind and geothermal facilities, the agency hasn't approved any solar project here or elsewhere.

Last week, leaders for the bureau called a timeout in accepting new applications for solar developments, the most active category of renewable-energy proposals. They want to assess the environmental, social and economic impacts of such activity in the Southwest, starting with public meetings this month.

Despite state and local demands to increase production of renewable power and growing concern about fossil fuels' influence on global warming, the agency “did not anticipate the level of interest that was shown in 2007 and in the first part of 2008. The applications started coming in fast and furious,” said Linda Resseguie, manager of the solar review process in Washington, D.C.

Although many of the bureau's properties may look barren, they generate interest from environmental and recreation groups. Off-roaders are fighting to keep their open space in spots such as Imperial County's Truckhaven, while conservationists are vying to preserve relatively pristine stretches of desert by encouraging renewable-energy projects for existing homes and businesses.
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I don't see why land can't be reserved for both.
JanforGore

3 responses // Renewable energy puts all eyes on the desert

  • Environmentalists would rather preserve the ~desert~ than use solar energy?? Am I missing something here? This simply doesn't make sense.

    Risk vs. reward.. this seems to be a no brainer - my only complaint is that they don't hurry up and install more!
    onepeacefullight
    1 response to this
  • Why?

    Why destroy wilderness lands when we have so little left.

    Why destroy wilderness land and wildlife habitat to air condition an endless urban sprawl of buildings with nothing on the roof tops?

    That is just trading coal and oil for solar---anything to make a profit.

    I wonder why no one has come up with a plan to rent urban roof space? Or lease grid tie rooftop solar equipment?

    Solar "farms" that use up wilderness lands at bargain basement prices to sell electricity are only marginally better than coal. They will use up vast tracts of land and simply perpetuate the monopoly system that the energy system is in right now.

    The air will be cleaner than burning up coal, but we'll have to sacrifice more land and continue the monopolistic energy lobby to get cleaner air.

    It would be much better to have 10,000 rooftop solar installations tied to the grid than one huge solar farm. And the profits generated passed down to many people instead of a few.

    We've already destroyed enough wildlife habitat.
    Wetdog

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