U.S. opens deserts to large-scale solar projects on fast track program

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

A new program has been established by the Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar to overcome the often lengthy (more than two years) and not always successful applications to use public land in desert regions, which include Nevada, Arizona, and parts of California. Key aspects of the program include ‘prime zones,’ new permitting offices to speed up permitting and the funding of environmental studies in the designated areas.

mportantly, the 158 active solar applications, which the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has received, which equates to 97GW and covering 1.8 million acres, will not need to reapply. The BLM will now begin site-specific environmental reviews for two major projects in Nevada that would have a combine capacity of more than 400MW.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

“President Obama’s comprehensive energy strategy calls for rapid development of renewable energy, especially on America’s public lands,” said Secretary Salazar.  “This environmentally-sensitive plan will identify appropriate Interior-managed lands that have excellent solar energy potential and limited conflicts with wildlife, other natural resources or land users.  The two dozen areas we are evaluating could generate nearly 100,000 megawatts of solar electricity.  With coordinated environmental studies, good land-use planning and zoning and priority processing, we can accelerate responsible solar energy production that will help build a clean-energy economy for the 21st century.” 

In particular, 24 tracts of BLM-administered land located in six western states, are to be fully reviewed for 10MW plus solar plants, which are claimed to receive ‘a more efficient process for permitting and siting responsible solar development.’ The Solar Energy Study Areas, located in Nevada, Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah, have just been published and encompass about 670,000 acres. 

Interestingly, the BLM have been instructed to make decisions on using alternative competitive or non-competitive procedures in processing new solar applications for these areas. One assumption on this is to still give permission on land use by one type of solar technology, even though another type may not have been given approval. An example could be the lack of water, which is required for some technologies.

Secretary Salazar also announced the opening of a new Interior renewable energy coordination office (RECO) in Nevada, the first of four, with the others located in Arizona, California, and Wyoming.  The offices are intended to improve processing and handle the increased number of applications.

 

Read Next

June 6, 2025
Independent power producer (IPP) NOA Group has reached financial close on a 349MW solar PV project in South Africa.
June 6, 2025
France has registered zero or negative energy prices for 90% of days in May 2025, according to data from energy storage developer Storio Energy.
June 6, 2025
rPlus Energies has secured more than US$500 million for an 800MW solar-plus-storage project in Emery County, Utah, US.  
June 6, 2025
Eternal Sun has acquired German solar simulator provider Wavelabs, which has resulted in the formation of a new subsidy, Wavelabs Eternal Sun.
Premium
June 6, 2025
Europe must secure the 'strategic segments' of the solar supply chain, according to experts at a PV Tech panel at this year's Intersolar event.
June 6, 2025
Australia’s Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has called on Australia’s climate change and energy minister, Chris Bowen, to “urgently intervene” on a rule change that could threaten to derail the uptake of rooftop solar PV.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
June 17, 2025
Napa, USA
Upcoming Webinars
June 30, 2025
10am PST / 6pm BST
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece