Green light for USD 1bn solar farm in USA

The Bureau of Land Management approved the Desert Quartzite Solar Project in eastern Riverside County in California. The administration authorizes Desert Quartzite, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of First Solar, to construct, operate, maintain and decommission a 450 MW solar photovoltaic project on approximately 3,000 acres of public lands.

The farm will occupy 2,608 acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land and 160 acres of private land under the jurisdiction of the County of Riverside. The developer had to decrease the proposed area from 3,770 acres to avoid the threat to desert tortoises and cultural relics.

The BLM is authorizing construction of the main generation area, on-site substation, switchyard, site security, a 230 kV generation-tie line, and an operations and maintenance facility. Construction is expected to take up to 30 months, with anticipated operation by 2022.

The project will result in a private infrastructure investment of US$1 billion, with US$3 million in annual operational economic benefit, power about 117,000 homes and provide up to about US$2.7 million in annual rent and fees to the U.S. Treasury. It will generate up to 870 jobs at peak construction.

No utility has yet signed the power purchasing agreement with the developer to purchase the energy from the site.

“The Department of the Interior supports moving forward with the Desert Quartzite solar project and other projects that help strengthen communities and promote energy independence. Responsible domestic energy production on Federal lands remains fundamental to our nation’s security,” said Acting Assistant Secretary of Land and Minerals Management Casey Hammond.