The Biden administration has announced new solar projects to help the United States transition to clean energy. The updated roadmap encompasses the development steps for solar expansion in 11 states in the West, including Arizona, California, and Nevada.
According to an official statement of the Department of Interior (DOI), the new solar projects are expected to generate upwards of 1,700 megawatts of potential solar energy, in addition to 1,300 megawatts of potential battery storage capacity.
“Our public lands are playing a critical role in the clean energy transition – and the progress the Bureau of Land Management is announcing today on several clean energy projects across the West represents our continued momentum in achieving those goals,” said Tracy Stone-Manning, Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
“Investing in clean and reliable renewable energy represents the BLM’s commitment to building a clean energy economy, tackling the climate crisis, promoting American energy security, and creating jobs in communities across the country,” she added.
As a federal agency in charge of overseeing the public realm, the Bureau has made an assessment and outlined how much public land the U.S. would need to allocate for the projects – which is up to 22 million acres.
The largest project is set to be launched in Nevada – with some 5,500 acres of land converted into solar fields – and if completed, it could power over 200,000 households.
The Guardian adds that “utility-scale solar generation is expected to grow 75% by next year compared to last, adding 79,000 megawatts of new capacity.”
The announcement did not fail to ruffle some feathers though, as farmers and environmental groups voiced their opposition to using arable land for renewable energy projects.
