SPECIAL TO THE PVT This map shows the solar energy study areas in Nevada. Advertisement

A 32,699-acre tract of western Amargosa Valley, just east of U.S. Ecology, is one of 24 solar energy zones in the Southwest that will receive intense scrutiny for a fast track environmental analysis.

U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar made the announcement during a joint press conference with U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., at the University of Nevada Las Vegas Monday.

Salazar said he signed an order setting aside 670,000 acres of public land nationwide in six states for the solar energy zones.

"In the history of our country, we've never set aside lands for solar energy or renewable energy projects. We have 40 million acres set aside for oil and gas," Salazar said. "Those 24 solar energy zones will receive an intense scrutiny under a fast track environmental analysis to determine whether those zones are the best sites for solar energy projects."

Other solar energy zones in Southern Nevada include 5,830 acres just north of Gold Point and 19,205 acres around Miller's Landing, a rest stop 20 miles west of Tonopah, both in Esmeralda County, and a 49,775-acre patch in the Dry Lake Valley North, 17,932 acres in Delamar Valley and 7,418 acres at East Mormon Mountain in Lincoln County.

Salazar said the Interior Department will invest $22 million in solar energy studies so projects can be on a fast track. He said 35 applications are planned in those 24 zones.

Nationwide the U.S. Bureau of Land Management has received 155 applications for solar energy projects on public land.

Numerous companies have outlined plans to build concentrated solar power plants in Amargosa Valley, including Solar Millenium, Ausra NV, Iberdrola and Congentrix. Solar Reserve and Solar Millenium have expressed interest in a project near Tonopah, according to a list supplied by the Las Vegas BLM office.

"It's very encouraging. It's going to accelerate the growth of renewable energy in the American Southwest, particularly in Nevada," said Don Reid, Solar Millenium senior project development advisor.

Solar Millenium has plans to build two 250-megawatt solar power plants in Amargosa Valley. The company hopes to break ground in 2010, to take advantage of funding in the economic stimulus package. That will require a speedy permitting process by the BLM for the right-of-way.

Reid said, "One of the big benefits of these zones is it will hopefully accelerate the growth of transmission in addition to projects."

Solar Millenium filed with the Nevada Public Utilities Commission an application for a permit under the Utility Environmental Protection Act to construct its solar power plants. In a notice published May 20, the company said its plants will occupy 4,000 acres of public land with parabolic trough mirrors, a central power block housing a steam turbine, cooling equipment and thermal energy storage tanks.

Robby Hamlin, Valley Electric Association operations and engineering manager, told the VEA board of directors last week two companies submitted applications to the cooperative for a facility study for solar power plants. One company put up a $100,000 deposit, another company put up two $100,000 deposits for two sites.

VEA will have to conduct its own studies in addition to those of the solar power companies, Hamlin said.

Darrell Lacy, director of the Nye County Nuclear Waste Repository Office, who is handling renewable energy matters for the county, said the Big Dune Solar Project planned by Congentrix Energy is the only site located on public land within the Amargosa Valley solar energy study zone. Congentrix Energy isn't one of the few companies at the forefront in the planning process which have submitted a plan of development, which would be followed by an environmental impact statement, he said.

While the promoted zones will speed up the process, Lacy said, "Until we can get transmission and water issues resolved, it will be difficult to get one actually built."

Salazar said the expectation is by the end of 2010 there will be 13 large-scale commercial solar projects under way in the country, creating 50,000 jobs.

A solar energy office will be set up in Las Vegas to expedite those projects, he said.

Salazar announced the first two renewable energy permits are being issued to Next Flight Renewable Power for two solar arrays called Silver State North and Silver State South, on 7,840 acres two miles east of Primm capable of generating 267 megawatts and 140 megawatts. By comparison, Salazar said a mid-sized coal-fired plant produces 350 megawatts.

Of the 13 nationwide plants Salazar mentioned will be built next year, only those two are in Nevada.

Salazar said the BLM will study where in those solar energy zones would be the best place to build a solar project. The projects can't interfere with national parks or military installations, he said.

BLM spokesman Heather Emmons said a public comment period is under way for a programmatic environmental impact statement to include the 24 solar energy zones.

"In the future, when people want to go to these 24 areas, we've already done the work," Emmons said. "That's going to make the process go more quickly and cost less in the long run because you don't have to do an EIS."

The BLM will continue to process all 158 applications and accept new ones, Emmons said.

The top federal officials were full of hype for the event on Monday.

"I would hope that when people look back in the year 2020 to this announcement here in 2009 in Las Vegas, Nev., that they will see this as a true milestone in moving the United States of America forward toward a renewable energy future," Salazar said.

Sen. Reid added, "We hear a lot about doing something for the environment and that's what this is all about. Today in America we will use 21 million barrels of oil -- 21 million barrels. We want to back that off. We want to not be dependent on foreign oil. We're not a secure nation as long as we're importing oil."