Renewable energy evolving from DOI "landscape-level" approach

August 16, 2013 | By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

The Interior Department is working to approve 20,000 megawatts of renewable energy production on public lands by 2020 and is taking a "landscape-level" approach to do this.

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Speaking at the National Clean Energy Summit, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell cited the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP), as an example of landscape-level planning. This unprecedented state-federal collaborative effort, which covers over 20 million acres in California's Mojave and Colorado Deserts, will identify "development focus areas" for renewable energy while providing for the conservation and management of the unique and important plant and wildlife communities in this desert region.

As part of the landscape-level approach, Secretary Jewell announced that the Interior Department has approved the establishment of the West Chocolate Mountains Renewable Energy Evaluation Area (REEA) on public lands in California's Imperial Valley. This REEA will prioritize the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands for the exploration and development of solar and geothermal energy. The BLM estimates that the 64,058-acre area has the potential to develop over 3,330 MW of solar and 150 MW of geothermal.

The BLM has also approved a new 40 MW geothermal project in California. The Casa Diablo IV Geothermal Energy Project will construct up to 16 new production and injection wells, multiple pipelines and an electric transmission line.

Since 2009, the Interior has approved 47 solar, wind and geothermal utility-scale projects on public lands, including the Casa Diablo IV Geothermal Energy Project, as well as associated transmission corridors and infrastructure to connect to established power grids. When built, these projects add up to more than 13,300 MW -- enough energy to power 4.6 million homes.

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Related Article:
DOI, BLM approve renewable energy projects

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