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Solar Panels in the Mojave Desert?

By Solar energy | April 1, 2009

Joshua Trees in Mojave Desert, California
Image by Old Shoe Woman via Flickr

Solar Panels in the Mojave Desert?

Here’s an interesting article about an ongoing discussion concerning putting solar and wind energy facilities in the Mojave Desert.

Seems solar companies are ready to put up solar plants in areas particularly suitable for solar energy production. The area in question is a parcel of land in California’s Mojave Desert.

But there’s a problem.

The Wildlands Conservancy, which arranged for the government to buy this desert plot, says a solar or wind power facility would “destroy the entire Mojave Desert ecosystem.”

If solar power plants cannot be built in the Mojave Desert, governor Schwarzenegger said, “I don’t know where the hell we can put it.”

Clearly, if you want alternative energy, as California does, you have to put these solar and wind plants somewhere. Right?

But what if we think about it another way?

If each home generated all or most of its energy requirements, maybe the need for a solar power plant in the Mojave would change.

Instead of waiting for all the red tape to get a solar power plant going, how about we put solar panels on each roof?

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Topics: Renewable Energy Politics | 1 Comment »

One Response to “Solar Panels in the Mojave Desert?”

  1. russ Says:
    April 2nd, 2009 at 7:35 pm

    You are suggesting that a kilowatt here and a kilowatt on the neighbors house will replace commercial energy generation?

    Not likely – the residential solar is set to be the repairman’s dream of the future – for only 100 bucks someone will come adjust or repair whatever needs to get the system working again.

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