BLM to look at 1GW of solar projects in Arizona

• United States land agency to start the permitting process for three suggested sites

The United States Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is starting the permitting process for three proposed solar projects in Arizona that might add 1000MW of clean energy to the grid.

Scoping meetings will certainly soon be announced for ecological evaluation of the proposed Jove solar project, which would produce up to 600MW of utility-scale renewable resource from solar photovoltaic modules on 3,495 acres of public land situated in southeastern La Paz County.

There will also be a two-year segregation of greater than 4,400 acres of public land associated with two proposed utility-scale solar energy projects.

The segregation action sustains review of the recommended 250MW Pinyon Solar project in Maricopa County, and the recommended 300MW Elisabeth Solar project in Yuma County.

The move came as US Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland has actually revealed new efforts to sustain solar energy development on public lands across the West of the nation.

This would certainly be to satisfy the Biden-Harris administration's enthusiastic renewable resource and also conservation goals.

The BLM will certainly create an updated plan to overview responsible solar energy growth on public lands through an updated Solar Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS).

Secretary Haaland claimed: "This Administration is committed to expanding clean energy advancement to address climate modification, enhance America's energy safety and security as well as offer good-paying union jobs.

" Our review of these suggested projects in Arizona, and also a new analysis of the role public lands can play in enhancing solar energy production, will certainly aid guarantee we maintain the momentum mosting likely to construct a clean energy future, lower expenses for families and create robust conservation outcomes on the country's lands and waters."

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Laura Daniel-Davis included: "We take seriously our duty to take care of the country's public lands properly and with an eye toward the boosting impacts of the climate crisis.

" The power and also capacity of the clean energy future is an undeniable and critical part of that work.

" The Bureau of Land Management is working diligently to make sure that its processes as well as pace keep the momentum we are seeing from industry."

During the trip, the leaders likewise introduced that the BLM is releasing updated guidance to boost uniformity in handling rights-of-way for utility-scale solar projects under the variance process established by BLM's 2012 Western Solar Plan, which is used for solar projects outside of Solar Energy Zones.

Across the West, the BLM is presently processing 65 utility-scale onshore clean energy projects suggested on public lands.

This includes solar, wind and also geothermal projects, in addition to adjoin gen-tie lines that are vital to clean energy projects proposed on non-federal land.

These projects have the consolidated potential to add over 31,000 MW of renewable resource to the western electrical grid.

The BLM is likewise taking on the preliminary review of greater than 100 applications for solar and also wind development, along with virtually 50 applications for wind and also solar energy screening.