Citing Need for Assessments, U.S. Freezes Solar Energy Projects
Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun, via Reuters
Mirrors channel sunlight onto a tube filled with oil at a solar power plant in Boulder City, Nev. The plant produces energy to power about 14,000 homes.
The Bureau of Land Management says an extensive environmental study is needed to determine how large solar plants might affect millions of acres it oversees in six Western states — Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah.
~snip~
You may have to register with the New York Times to finish reading the article, but it is free and the article is worth reading.
June 30th, 2008 - 3:21 pm
I wonder what damage they think it could do to the land?
June 30th, 2008 - 8:34 pm
Maybe it has more to do with the animals…I don’t know…
The manager of the Bureau of Land Management’s environmental impact study, Linda Resseguie, said that many factors must be considered when deciding whether to allow solar projects on the scale being proposed, among them the impact of construction and transmission lines on native vegetation and wildlife. In California, for example, solar developers often hire environmental experts to assess the effects of construction on the desert tortoise and Mojave ground squirrel.
Water use can be a factor as well, especially in the parched areas where virtually all of the proposed plants would be built. Concentrating solar plants may require water to condense the steam used to power the turbine.
“Reclamation is another big issue,” Ms. Resseguie said. “These plants potentially have a 20- to 30-year life span. How to restore that land is a big question for us.”
August 11th, 2008 - 3:35 pm
Did you know that wind has potential for power? It does not damage the environment plus its a powerful source of alternative energy. It is gaining popularity because other sources of fuel damage the environment and also fuel prices are now very high. When thinking of wind power you may think about windmills, but wind can also be turned into electricity. There are several countries in Europe using this power.
Wind power is transformed into electricity by using turbines. The blades turn generating an electrical current which is then powered by a generator. Almost 3% of the sun’s energy can be turned into wind energy. But the origin and the use of it can be complex plus there are continuous variables that affect it�s efficiency and usage long term.
http://www.green-alternative.info