Jan 18 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Rachel Byrd Daily Press, Victorville, Calif.

Our desert, with it's intense sun rays and sprawling open land, is a prime location to harness solar energy.

And the Victor Valley's placement actually makes the area unlike any other desert in the world.

The fact that the levels of solar radiation are as high in the Mojave Desert as they are anywhere in the world makes the area unique, according to Tom Barnett, executive vice president of Inland Energy Inc.

"Unlike most places in the world that have high levels of solar radiation, here in the High Desert, we are right next to a huge population center," Barnett said. "This means we can actually use this electricity. While other places like the Sahara Desert, where they may be able to generate it, they cannot use it."

With the Kramer Junc- tion solar facilities generating power for the desert, and a Victorville hybrid power plant scheduled to be in operation in 2010, the solar power trend has certainly caught on locally.

It has been argued that the area has not taken full advantage of this resource. And with Congress running out of time to come to an agreement on the extension of solar tax credits, some say we may not get the chance to.

Sue Kateley, executive director for California Solar Energy Industries Association, described the prospects for solar power in the area as "good but uncertain." That's because the current legislation that provides a 30 percent tax credit for homeowners and businesses using solar energy will expire Dec. 31.

Solar facilities must be in operation by that date to get the tax credit, Kateley said, and she is worried that if the legislation expires, the use of solar power in the area will be adversely affected.

"Around spring 2008, we may see real serious problems with project cancellations if tax credits are not extended," Kateley said.

"At the same time, we've had problems like this before and Congress does act, so we are hopeful that they won't drive the prospect away from California."

Using solar thermal energy, the High Desert has the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emission and to do 75 percent of water heating, Kateley said.