The current administration is making the most out of all the uninhabited public lands in the country. These lands are now being tapped as sites for renewable power plants. Solar and wind power are the big players, but hydro, nuclear, and geothermal are also in consideration.
In April, the federal government published new laws about using public land for renewables. The president wants to be carbon-free by 2035. The Inflation Reduction Act has made it more economical to manufacture and deploy domestically-made solar panels, wind turbines, and other cleantech thanks. Now, the president is expanding access while making it 80% cheaper.
“Surpassing our goal of permitting 25 gigawatts of clean energy by 2025 underscores the significant progress we have made in helping build modern, resilient climate infrastructure that protects our communities from the worsening impacts of climate change,” Deb Haaland, Secretary of the Interior, said in a press release.
There is now enough renewable energy in the U.S. to power 12 million homes. Solar, wind, and geothermal bear the brunt of the responsibility, but the other issue to tackle is sending this energy to state and local electrical grids.
Photo Courtesy Nikola Johnny Mirkovic
Transmission lines are the next big project the government will focus on. Rural areas facing energy insecurity will power their homes without emissions and without straining the grid. Tribal communities are expected to benefit the most from them.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has already reviewed more than 200 applications for wind and solar developments, plus another 100 for testing systems. The agency’s online dashboard of national renewable energy projects says eight solar, eleven geothermal, and 18 generation interconnection projects were approved as of April 1. There’s a total of 37 approved across 9,918 acres of bureau-managed lands.
The Bureau has also updated regulations for renewable construction on public lands. The Renewable Energy Rule reduces rent and capacity fees, streamlines the application process, and can predict how the agency will approve future deployments.
It emphasizes the use of American-made technology and the support of union jobs. The rule was updated several times after the Energy Act of 2020 passed. The act funds research and development of clean energy technologies and allows cleantech businesses to take more risks and use federal funds for their endeavors.
Two more California solar deployments went online in light of the public land guidelines. The Arica and Victory Pass solar projects are now fully operational in Riverside County. This effort helped the BLM reach 10 gigawatts (GW) of power from public renewable sources. They will generate around 465 megawatts (MW) and add 400 MW of battery storage. That’s enough to power 139,000 homes. They will also provide $5.9 million in economic benefits.
Photo Courtesy Chelsea
The government is ahead of its target of 25 GW of renewable energy by 2025. Reports suggest that more application approvals will raise the generation capacity to more than 29 GW — enough to power 12 million homes. Eight new areas have been designated Solar Energy Zones, which can add 2.5 GW of additional electricity.
“Investing in clean and reliable renewable energy represents the BLM’s commitment to addressing climate change,” Tracy Stone-Manning, BLM director, said in a statement. “BLM personnel are working tirelessly to efficiently review and approve projects, with significant and thoughtful engagement from states, Tribes, and other partners, to ensure we supply families and communities with clean energy that will lower costs and help tackle climate change.”
The federal goal is net-zero carbon emissions by 2035. Eleven years ahead of the target, there’s still plenty to do. The refined guidelines for renewable energy on public lands will hopefully get the country closer.
