The ‘Golden’ RushA Western Saga

Presentation Overview

• Solar Technology Overview• How We Got Here• Overview of BLM• The Players• Some Issues• Impression of BLM and NEPA• Conclusion

Solar Technology: Photovoltaic (PV)Utility-scale solar photovoltaic technologies convert energy from sunlight directly into electricity, using large arrays of solar panels.

DOE, 2010 http://solareis.anl.gov/documents/docs/NREL_PV_2.pdf

• Three Kinds of Technology:• Single or Poly-Crystalline• Thin Film• Concentrating PV

• Use lenses or mirrors to concentrate sunlight onto high-efficiency silicon solar cells

• Can be fixed, single, or dual axis

Solar Technology: Concentrated Solar Parabolic Troughs How troughs work: Solar radiation is concentrated onto an absorber tube situated on the focal line of the trough. The trough is rotated east-west to track the sun. The receiver contains a fluid that is heated by the sun and used to operate a steam turbine to generate electricity.

Solar Millennium, 2010

Solar Technology: Concentrated Solar Power Tower

DOE, 2010 http://solareis.anl.gov/guide/photos/index.cfm

Heliostats/reflecting mirrors redirect sunlight to the power. A heat transfer fluid (HTF) is heated as it passes through the receiver and then circulated through a series of heat exchangers to generate high pressure superheated steam. The steam powers a turbine/generator, which produces electricity.

Solar Technology: Concentrated Solar Dish

DOE, 2010 http://solareis.anl.gov/guide/photos/index.cfm

Dish shaped mirrors “suncatchers” which track the sunand focus solar heat onto apower conversion unit (PCU)

Heat piston engine converts theabsorbed heat energy intoelectricity

How We Got Here

• National • President Obama’s

New Energy for America Plan • By 2010, 10% of U.S. electricity

generated from Renewables • By 2025, 25%• Plan calls for rapid development of

renewable energy, especially on America’s public lands.

How We Got Here

• Secretarial Order 3285, March 2009• Make production, development

and delivery of renewable energy one of the Department’s highest priorities

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar

How We Got Here

• The Money• American Recovery & Reinvestment

Act passed February, 2009. • Economic stimulus funding to

qualified renewable projects that begin construction by December 2010. • Recently revised guidance

clarifies that off-site work may be taken into account.

How We Got Here• State

• SB 107, September 2006• By 2010, 20% of electricity sold in CA from

Renewable

• EO S-14-08, November 2008• By 2020, 33%

• Renewable Energy Action Team (REAT)• “One-Stop" process • MOU with CEC, CDFG, BLM, USFWS

• Renewable Energy Transmission Initiative (RETI)• Identify transmission projects• Facilitate transmission corridor designation,

generation siting and permitting.

BLM Overview

• California Desert District• Over 50 Solar Applications

• To Meet Expedited Schedules (October 2009)• Renewable Energy Coordination Office

(RECO) formed to expedite the leasing and production of renewable energy resources on public lands in the West.• Renewable Energy Coordination Office

Program Lead Appointed

Setting the Stage

• BLM Palm Springs South Coast Field Office• Small Field Office• Primarily deals with

• Fire• Grazing• Recreation• Wildlife• Wild Horses & Burros• Abandoned Mine Lands• Planning

Palm Springs – South Coast Field Office Current Applications• Thermal

(BLM & CEC Joint Process)• NextEra: Genesis – 250 MW• Solar Millennium/Chevron:

Palen – 484 MW• Solar Millennium/Chevron:

Blythe – 968 MW• Solar Reserve: Rice Airfield – 150

MW• EnXco: McCoy – 300 MW• NextEra: McCoy – 250 MW

• Photovoltaic (BLM Process)• First Solar: Desert Sunlight –

550 MW • Sun Peak Solar: Chuckwalla –

200 MW • EnXco: Eagle Mountain – 100

MW • Bullfrog: Mule Mountain & Maria

Vista – 500 MW• EnXco: McCoy – 300 MW• NextEra: Quartzite – 600 MW

Identified as Department of Interior Fast Tract Projects

Palm Springs – South Coast Field Office Current Applications

BLM, 2010 http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib/blm/ca/pdf/palmsprings/general_-_pssc.Par.42118.File.dat/Solar%20Energy%20Applications.pdf

The Wagon…Unattached to the Horse

• Solar PEIS• 24 Solar Energy Study

Areas • Four in California, covering

351,000 acres.

The Players• The Lessor

• BLM• The New Era of 49ers

• Solar Developers• Other Parties

• CEC (Solar Thermal), CPUC• DOE, ACOE, USFWS• CDFG, RWQCB• Native American Tribes• Environmental Groups

Some Issues

• SCE– All projects need a gen-tie to a substation– Where will it be?

• USFWS, CDFG, RWQCB, SHPO, Native American Tribes, Etc.– All projects have the potential to impacts sensitive

resources, habitat, etc. – What is the approach for project mitigation?

• CEC, CPUC– Solar Thermal, transmission and/or substations require

permits from other agencies

Impression of BLM and NEPA• Working hard to meet the Fast Track schedules

without sacrificing the process.• Community Outreach• Agency Coordination• Tribal Coordination• Coordination with Anyone Interested

Impression of BLM and NEPA• Focus on consistency between Projects

• Approach to Analysis• Mitigation Approaches• Cumulative Effects

• MOUs out to Wazoo• With CA, CEC, USFWS, CDFG, CPUC, etc.

Conclusion

• It is an Amazing Time to be Involved in Energy and Environmental Compliance