Renewable Energy Projects Announced Across Western U.S.
U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland recently unveiled the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) progress in developing 15 new renewable energy projects across the western U.S., with some already in commercial operation. Speaking at the Western Governors Association Winter Meeting in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, on Nov. 6, Haaland highlighted key projects, such as the Oberon Solar Project in Riverside County, California, a 500-MW facility with energy storage that commenced operations on Nov. 3. She also mentioned the Arlington Solar Energy Center, a 364-MW project with energy storage that went online on Nov. 6 in the same county.
Under the Biden administration’s target of achieving 25 GW of onshore renewable energy generation capacity on public lands by 2025, the BLM has approved 46 renewable projects in the past two years, totaling over 11.2 GW in generation capacity. These projects encompass 20 grid tie-ins and transmission line upgrades, 16 solar installations, and 10 geothermal power projects.
Momentum for Decarbonization
Haaland emphasized that the progress in these projects signifies a significant stride in decarbonizing the economy, fostering job creation, and combatting the climate crisis. She highlighted the momentum seen in initiating transmission lines to distribute clean energy across the Western region.
Currently, the BLM is handling 66 utility-scale clean energy projects proposed on public lands in the West, with a collective potential generation capacity exceeding 33 GW. Additionally, they are reviewing nearly 200 applications for solar and wind development and 95 applications for solar and wind energy site area testing.
The BLM is set to announce the availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Cross-Tie 500-kV Transmission Project in Utah and Nevada this week. They will also confirm the approval of construction for a 500-kV gen-tie transmission line near Phoenix, Arizona, supporting energy delivery from the Harquahala Sun installation in Maricopa County, Arizona.
Furthermore, the agency will hold a competitive geothermal lease sale in Nevada, offering 45 parcels totaling more than 135,000 acres across 12 counties.
Recently, the BLM revealed plans for seven solar projects in Esmeralda County, Nevada, with a combined capacity of up to 5.3 GW, covering nearly 119,000 acres of BLM-administered public lands.
Secretary Haaland reiterated the administration’s commitment to expand clean energy development, citing the projects as pivotal in addressing climate change, enhancing energy security, and creating well-paying union jobs. She emphasized that these endeavors, supported by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, contribute substantial clean energy to power millions of homes and reinforce resilient climate infrastructure, vital in protecting communities from the escalating impacts of climate change.
Source – Darrell Proctor
