Biden administration raises record $105 million in Nevada solar energy auction – EQ Mag
The Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management held an auction for utility-scale solar energy development in Nevada this week, resulting in $105 million in high bids.
The auction of four parcels across 23,675 acres in the Amargosa Desert could support nearly 3 gigawatts of renewable energy to the electrical grid. This is the highest-yielding onshore renewable energy auction in the agency’s history.
The Amargosa Valley Solar Energy Zone was one of 17 that the BLM initially identified in a 2012 blueprint on solar energy development in six states in the West. The BLM is updating this plan by considering adding more states, including Idaho, and identifying new or expanded areas to promote responsible solar development.
“This record-breaking auction for solar energy development is further evidence that the demand for clean energy has never been greater,” Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland said. “The technological advances, increased interest, cost effectiveness, and tremendous economic potential make these projects a reliable path for diversifying our nation’s energy portfolio.”
The BLM recently announced a proposed update of its renewable energy regulations to promote the development of solar energy on public lands, including reducing fees for projects by around 80%, facilitating development in priority areas by streamlining the review of applications, and delivering greater certainty for the private sector.
Source: Reuters
