U.S. Approves Two Huge Solar Projects On Public Lands In California

[ProSense]

U.S. Approves Two Huge Solar Projects On Public Lands In California

By Emily Atkin

The Obama administration on Wednesday announced that it has given final approval to two sizable solar projects on public lands near the Nevada-California border, which when operational are expected to provide a combined 550 megawatts of renewable energy, or enough to power about 170,000 homes and create 700 jobs.

The announcement represents a milestone for President Obama’s renewable energy efforts. With the approval of both projects, there now are currently 50 utility-scale renewable energy projects either currently generating energy or slated to be generating energy on public lands. This is a huge number compared to the amount of renewable energy projects had been approved on public lands before Obama took office.

There were none.

“When President Obama first took office in 2009, there were no solar projects approved on public lands, and no process in place to move forward the hundreds of applications pending from businesses that wanted to harness renewable energy to help power our nation,” Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell said in a statement. “With today’s milestone, … and with a number of those already producing energy for the nation’s electric grid, our clean energy future is bright.”

The announcement is surely a win for advocates of renewable energy on public resources. As of 2012, public lands and waters housed approximately 43 percent of all the coal and 20 percent of the natural gas produced in the United States, according to a report from the Center for American Progress. Conversely, only 1 percent of the country’s wind and practically none of its solar power were derived from federal lands at the time.

- more -

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/02/21/3319301/solar-public-lands/

[awoke_in_2003]

1. K&R...

Germany is kicking our tail when it comes to solar. We need to start loosening the choke hold that the oil, gas, and coal companies have on us. Hell, Texas should be leading the way with both solar and wind.

[Igel]

2. 700 jobs?

Let's see ... for projects some don't like only permanent jobs count, not the temporary construction jobs. It's declared to be deceitful for corporations or politicians to claim jobs that come and go.

By that measure, this will create 27 jobs. According to the OP.

[ProSense]

3. I take it

"Let's see ... for projects some don't like only permanent jobs count, not the temporary construction jobs. It's declared to be deceitful for corporations or politicians to claim jobs that come and go.

By that measure, this will create 27 jobs. According to the OP. "

...you are a Keystone supporter? Several things matter:

1. Scale. Since the scale of these projects are much smaller than the Keystone pipeline, isn't it interesting that they create almost the same number of jobs?
   
   
2. Energy. These projects will ramp up America's clean energy production capacity, whereas the Keystone pipeline does absolutely nothing for the U.S.
   
   
3. Environmental impact. There will be no solar spills, no potential to contaminate water supplies or pollute the air. Keystone is an environmental disaster in the making.

[msongs]

4. rooftop solar for all not corporate welfare nt

[ProSense]

5. A chicken in every pot.

I mean, "there were none" about "1 percent," those facts from the OP should provide a hint of the fledgling status of solar production. It's going to take time to reach every American home.

[ProSense]

6. Kick! n/t