U.S. Interior Approves 465 Megawatts of Solar Projects in California

The U.S. Department of the Interior issued the final endorsement and orchestrated solar projects in Arica and Victory Pass in the vicinity of Desert Center Eastern Riverside County. This project will add 465 megawatts of power in the national grid system along with 400 megawatt battery storage which will provide power to approximately 132,000 homes in California. All these projects are in continuation of Biden’s agenda of modernizing America’s energy infrastructure with a plan of generating 25 gigawatts from solar, wind and geothermal energy by 2025.

Bureau of Land Management Palm Springs South directed Clearway Energy Group LLC  to initiate the building of 265 megawatt Arica Solar Project and 200 megawatt Victory Pass Solar Project by mid-June 2022. A total of $689 million will be invested in construction of these two projects which would generate an economic benefit of $5.9 million annually. This project is first of its own in the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan where the desert ecosystem will be conserved and provide outdoor recreation opportunities on 10.8 million acres of Public Land in deserted area of seven California Counties. It will also add 1000 construction jobs during its peak activities.

The promotion of clean energy is expected to not only reduce the energy cost for the families but will also provide employment opportunities and generate good paying jobs. The administration aims to develop a zero-carbon emission power sector by 2035 with the harmony and partnership with the states, cities and tribes which will help the government to advance in clean energy projects with gradual replacement of fossil fuel power plants.

In addition, a preliminary review of 90 applications for solar and wind developments, and 51 applications for wind solar energy testing is being done by the agency. Previously, the management had approved more than 120 renewable energy projects which makes a total of 12,000 megawatts energy. They are also executing operations on 67 utility scale clean energy projects in Western U.S. with a combined potential of 41,733 megawatts of energy.

On June 06, 2022 Biden Administration also directed the U.S. Department of Energy to enhance in-house production of five major alternative energy domains which includes Solar, transformers and electric grid components, heat pumps, insulations and electrolyzers. Also, on May 26, the government also proposed their first offshore wind lease sale in California.