Enviros split on Interior solar plan

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Brew
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Enviros split on Interior solar plan

Post by Brew »

It looks like you can't please everyone, even if they are on the same side.

Columnist: "The mammoth Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for solar development on public lands in six southwestern states was released July 24, and environmentalist response has been, like the PEIS's proposed Solar Energy Zones, all over the map. That's no surprise: the environmental community has been split for a number of years on the utility-scale desert solar issue, with some arguing that the climate crisis requires we sacrifice some intact deserts, and others saying that there are better options that don't harm wildlife and wildlands."

Read the whole thing here:
http://www.kcet.org/news/rewire/governm ... -plan.html

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Reziac
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Re: Enviros split on Interior solar plan

Post by Reziac »

I lived downwind from a solar installation. We'd never had blowing dirt before in my part of the Antelope Valley (westernmost corner of the Mojave Desert), but all of a sudden it was rampant. Same with the other solar installation near town. And these solar generating units were probably the most environmentally-destructive constructions I've ever seen, bar none (possibly worse than covering the same area with concrete, which would at least cap in some soil moisture). Purely scorched-earth effect, not only the immediately-effected ground but also that they increased local heat in our valley by enough to notice (and I wonder if this contributed to notably decreased cooling at night, too -- 10 to 20 degrees less than normal, and there was no other major construction between us and our formerly-cool afternoon ocean-sourced wind). When you already peak at 122 degrees, that's not a good thing. In short, anyone who thinks commercial-utility level solar is a good thing for the environment is either willfully ignorant, or a liar. :evil:

Conversely the ginormous wind installation just up the way... well, if it weren't for the red lights blinking at night, you'd hardly know it was there. I did see coyotes and rabbits lounging in the shade patches from the masts, and increased grass around their bases (probably encouraged a little condensed water, like a big rock will). Yeah, they'll nail a few birds and bats (tho not in the numbers often claimed; in fact I never once saw a dead bird or bat around 'em, tho I did around buildings in town), but that's a far cry from the scorched-earth of solar.

Invariably these people who want solar in the desert think the desert is a dead place. And there doesn't seem to be any fixing that ignorance (I've tried!) I think the only cure is to tie 'em to a rock and let 'em experience desert hunger for themselves... the desert is full of life, all of it hungry, and if you stand still for 5 minutes it will eat you. :twisted:
Brew
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Re: Enviros split on Interior solar plan

Post by Brew »

The land use for much of the southern portion of California is being looked at. The Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan has been initiated. Now would be a good time to get involved in the process.

http://drecp.org/draftdrecp/

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Re: Enviros split on Interior solar plan

Post by SteveS »

anyone know why we use virgin desert when we have 100s of square miles of roof tops thru-out the west?

Heck if the build solar panels over homes in LV or SB wouldn't we shade the houses to lower Air Conditioning load in those places?
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