California Desert Conservation Area Solar Panels

To protect the area and streamline the permitting process the california energy commission the california department of fish and wildlife the u s.

California desert conservation area solar panels.

The company has signed contracts to sell energy from palen and another nearby solar farm desert harvest to southern california edison marin clean energy in the bay area and the cities of. Resource plan amendment for the california desert conservation area and palen solar power project riverside county california june 13 2011 alternatives analysis compared to the preferred alternative the reduced acreage alternative would generate 25 percent fewer megawatts but reduce the disturbance area by about approximately 50 percent to 2 242 acres. All told nearly 30 000 acres of photovoltaic solar farms producing up to 4 000 megawatts could come online in the california desert within the next few years a 30 uptick statewide over 2018 the. Area conservationists were concerned that the projects would haphazardly slice up the desert if measures weren t put in place to protect the sensitive ecosystems.

Fish and wildlife service developed the desert renewable energy conservation plan drecp that identifies areas in the desert appropriate for the utility scale development of wind solar and geothermal energy projects. Bureau of land management blm and the u s. The development of the plan began in 2008 as a renewable energy gold rush led to solar and wind developers proposing projects all across the southern california desert. The blm published a notice of availability for the project which opens a 30 day protest period and a 60 day governor s consistency review.