US Dept of Interior Takes Own Advice, Dumps Solar Ban on Public Lands

As the Department of Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lifts its absurd moratorium on new solar projects on public lands -- a result of industry and public outcry -- it’s worth remembering that five years ago the BLM was campaigning for solar.

Yep. The BLM released a report in February 2003, arguing for heavy development of solar power and other renewables on public lands in the West. Straight from the agency's 2003 release:

Increasing our domestic development of renewable energy sources, will help to reduce our dependency on foreign sources of energy...As the report demonstrates, public lands have abundant opportunities for renewable energy development.

In fact, if you dig into the full report (pdf), you'll see that the agency identified 25 BLM areas that have the greatest, untapped potential for developing concentrated solar power (CSP) and solar photovoltaics (PV).

The public lands promoted sit in seven Western states. Oddly, they're the same states -- and the same lands -- that would have been hit the hardest by the BLM's May 29, 2008, solar ban, had it stuck.

The BLM manages more land than any other federal agency in the nation. In many ways, the agency holds the key to unlock the solar potential of the whole American West.

That's why the moratorium was seen as a total death blow to US solar.

And why this question is so important: why on Earth did BLM go there?

Who knows, really. But #7 in the question and answer section of the 2003 report offers some food for thought:

7. Do areas identified as having high renewable potential overlap with areas with existing or potential oil/gas leasing?

Yes, there are areas of overlap between renewable and non-renewable (oil and gas) energy resources. For example, southwest and south-central Wyoming and a portion of the Power River Basin in Montana have high potential for wind energy development. Overlaps for concentrating solar power exist in northwest New Mexico and southwest Wyoming. Biomass energy potential exists in west-central Montana on the Rocky Mountain Front.

In other words, some of BLM's solar hot spots could be marked for potential oil and gas exploration. Of course, it's unclear whether that was a factor. But it's worth entertaining.

And so is this. A new energy economy is being born in America. And signs are plenty that it's going to be a clean one.

The Department of Interior reversed its decision to halt new solar on public lands only after being confronted by immediate and relentless industry, public and even some political pressure from Congress.

That's huge, a telling sign that clean energy might be reaching a critical mass of acceptance.

Let's hope a big surge in its lobby power in Washington follows suit.

(Hat Tip: Clean Beta)

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