DOCSLIB.ORG

Blythe Mesa Solar Project

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Blythe Mesa Solar Project BLYTHE MESA SOLAR PROJECT Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Assessment Volume I EIR No. 529 EA No. 0021 SCH No. 2011111056 June 2014 CEQA/NEPA Lead Agencies: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK Draft Environmental Impact Report/ Environmental Assessment Blythe Mesa Solar Project EIR No. 529 EA No. 0021 SCH No. 2011111056 Volume I (Chapters 1, 2, and 3) Project Proponent: Renewable Resources Group 113 S. La Brea Ave., 3rd Floor Los Angeles, CA 90036 Prepared by: POWER Engineers, Inc. 731 East Ball Road, Suite 100 Anaheim, CA 92805 June 2014 THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK BLYTHE MESA SOLAR PROJECT DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT/ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT M ASTER T ABLE OF CONTENTS Volume I Executive Summary Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: Alternatives Including the Proposed Project Chapter 3: Affected Environment Volume II Chapter 4: Environmental Cons equences Chapter 5: Other NEPA/CEQA Considerations Chapter 6: Coordination and Consultation Chapter 7: Referenc es Volume III Appendix A: Notice of Preparation Appendix B: Air Quality and Global Climate Change Technical Report Appendix C1: Biological Resources Technical Report Appendix C2: 230 kV Transmission Line Alternatives Habitat Assessment Report Appendix C3: Western Burrowing Owl Survey Report Appendix C4: Avian and Bat Protection Plan Appendix C5: Review of Federal Waters Volume IV Appendix D1: Archaeologic al Resource and Built Environment Survey Final Report Appendix D2: Archaeologic al Resource and Built Environment Survey Transmission Line Alternatives Supplemental Report Appendix E: Limited Geotechnical Evaluation Appendix F: EDR Data Map Appendix G: Water Supply Assessment Appendix H: Wash Feature Summary of Findings Appendix I: Paleontologic al Resources Survey Report Appendix J: Traffic Impact Study Report Appendix K: Glare and Reflection Study Appendix L: Land Evaluation and Site Assessment Appendix M: Fish and Wildlife Service Informal Consultation Memo Appendix N: Airport Land Use Commission Development Review JUNE 2014 i BLYTHE MESA SOLAR PROJECT DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT/ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK JUNE 2014 ii BLYTHE MESA SOLAR PROJECT DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT/ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ˚C Degrees Celsius ˚F Degrees Fahrenheit µT microtesla 3D three-dimensional A Agriculture A.D. Anno Domini A-1 Light Agriculture A-1-10 Light Agriculture A-1-2 ½ Light Agriculture A-2 Heavy Agriculture A-2-10 Heavy Agriculture A-2-2 ½ Heavy Agriculture AB Assembly Bill AC Alternating current ACEC Area of Critical Environmental Concern Ac-ft/yr Acre-feet per year ACGIH American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists ACHP Advisory Council on Historic Preservation ACM asbestos-containing materials A-D Agriculture-Dairy AF Acre-feet AG Agriculture AGR Agricultural Supply AIA Airport Influence Area ALUC Airport Land Use Commission amsl Above mean sea level A-P Light Agriculture with Poultry APE Area of Potential Effects Applicant Renewable Resourc es Group AQ air quality AQUA Aquaculture AST Aboveground storage tank BAAB Blythe Army Air Base BBCS Bird and Bat Conservation Strategy BEA Bureau of Economic Analysis BLM Bureau of Land Management BMPs Best Management Practices BMSP Blythe Mesa Solar Project BP Before present BPD Blythe Police Department BRMIMP Biological Resources Mitigation Implementation and Monitoring Plan BSPP Blythe Solar Power Project BUOW western burrowing owl C Circulation C-1/C-P General Commercial CAA Clean Air Act CAAQS California Ambient Air Quality Standards CAD Computer aided design CAIS O California Independent System Operator Cal EPA California Environmental Protection Agency CAL FIRE California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Cal/OS HA California Occupational Safety and Health Administration Caltrans California Department of Transportation CAPCOA California Air Pollution Control Officer’s Association JUNE 2014 iii BLYTHE MESA SOLAR PROJECT DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT/ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT CARB California Air Resources Board CBC California Building Code CCAA California Clean Air Act CCR California Code of Regulations CDCA California Desert Conservation Area CDFG California Department of Fish and Game (now known as CDFW) CDFW California Department of Fish and Wildlife (formerly CDFG) CDP Cens us Designated Place CEC California Energy Commission CEQ Council on Environmental Quality CEQA California Environmental Quality Act CERCLIS Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Information System CESA California Endangered Species Act CFGC California Fish and Game Code CFR Code of Federal Regulations C-G General Commercial CH4 Methane CHL California Historic Landmarks CHMIRS California Hazardous Material Incident Report System CHP California Highway Patrol CHRIS California Historical Resources Information System CHWMP Riverside County Hazardous Waste Management Plan CMP Congestion Management Program CNDDB California Natural Diversity Database CNE L Community Noise Equivalent Level CNPS California Native Plant Society CO Carbon monoxide CO 2 Carbon dioxide CO 2e CO 2 equivalent CORRA CTS Corrective Action County County of Riverside C-P-S Scenic Highway Commercial CPUC California Public Utilities Commission C-R Rural Commercial CRHR California Register of Historic Res ourc es CRMP Cultural Resources Management Plan CRP R California Rare Plant Ranking System CSA Community Service Area C-T Tourist Commercial CUP Conditional Use Permit CUPA Certified Unified Program Agency CVC California Vehicle Code CWA Clean Water Act dB Decibels dBA Lmax maximum sound level dBA A-weighted decibel scale DC Direct current DDT Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane DOC California Department of Conservation DOF California Department of Finance DOT California Department of Transportation DRE CP Desert Renewables Energy Conservation Plan DTC/ C-AMA Desert Training Center/California-Arizona Maneuver Area DTM Digital terrain mapping DTSC Department of Toxic Substances Control DWR Department of Water Resources JUNE 2014 iv BLYTHE MESA SOLAR PROJECT DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT/ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT EA Environmental Assessment EDD Employment Development Department EDR Environmental Data Resources, Inc. EDR-RC Estate Density Residential-Rural Community EIR /EA Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Assessment EIR Environmental Impact Report EIS Environmental Impact Statement EMF Electric and magnetic fields EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency ESA Endangered Species Act FAA Federal Aviation Administration FCC Federal Communications Commission FCR Field Contact Representative FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency FHWA Federal Highway Administration FINDS Facility Index System FLPMA Federal Land Policy and Management Act FMMP Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program FONS I Finding of No Significant Impact FPPA Farmland Protection Policy Act FR Federal Register ft feet GC Government Code gen-tie generation interconnection GHG Greenhouse gas GIS Geographic information systems GPS Global positioning system GWR Ground Water Recharge HFCs Hydrofluorocarbons HFE Hydrofluorinated ethers HI Hazard Index HIS T CO RTESE Hazardous Waste and Substances Sites HIS T US T Historical underground storage tank hp horsepower HPOW Hydropower Generation Hs S Hydrogen Sulfide Hz hertz I-10 Interstate 10 IBA important bird area IBC International Building Code ICC International Code Council ICNIRP International Commission on Non Ionizing Radiation Protection IEEE Institute of Electric Engineers I-G General Industrial IM Instruction Memorandum in/sec inches per second IND Industrial Service Supply I-P Industrial Park IPCC United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change I-S Service Industrial KOPs Key Observation Points kV kilovolt kWh kilowatt-hours kWh/m2/day kilowatt-hours per square meter per day LBP lead-based paint lbs/day pounds per day Ldn day-night average sound level JUNE 2014 v BLYTHE MESA SOLAR PROJECT DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT/ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Leq Equivalent level LESA Land Evaluation and Site Assessment Lmax maximum sound level LOS Level of Service L TVA long term visitor areas LU Land use LUS T Leaking underground storage MBTA Migratory Bird Treaty Act MDAB Mojave Desert Air Basin MDAQMD Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District Medevac Medical evacuation M-H Manufacturing-Heavy M-M Medium Manufacturing mm millimeters Mmax Maximum moment magnitude MMRP Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program MMT Millions of metric tons MOA Memorandum of Agreement mph Miles per hour M-R Mineral Res ourc es M-R-A Mineral Res ourc e and Related Manufacturing MRZ Mineral Res ourc es Zone M-SC Manufacturing-S e r vic e Commercial MSHCP Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan MT Metric tons MUN Municipal and Domestic Supply MW megawatt MWh megawatt-hour n/a not available N2O Nitrous oxide N-A Natural Assets NA Not Applicable NAAQS National Ambient Air Quality Standards NAGPRA Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act NAHC Native American Heritage Commission NECO Northern and Eastern Colorado Desert Coordinated Management NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NESC National Electric and Safety Code NF 3 Nitrogen trifluoride NFRAP No Further Remedial Action Planned NHPA National Historic Preservation Act NLR Noise Level Reduction NO 2 Nitrogen dioxide NOC Notice of Completion Non-Gen Non-Generators NOP Notice of Preparation NO x Oxides of nitrogen NPDES
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Are DOE Loan Guarantees an Energy Policy Mistake?
    Greentech Media http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/print/Are-DOE-Loan-Guarantee... RESEARCH & ANALYSIS | POLICY ERIC WESOFF: JUNE 2, 2011 Are DOE Loan Guarantees an Energy Policy Mistake? It’s the Liberals versus the Libertarians: Is the DOE Loan Guarantee Program a righteous creator of jobs and new industry or a wrongful use of taxpayer money? The United States DOE Loan Guarantee Program has disbursed $30.7 billion and claims to have created or saved 62,350 jobs. The loan program has three categories: Section 1703 of Title XVII of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 authorizes the DOE to support innovative clean energy technologies that are typically unable to obtain conventional private financing due to high technology risks. Section 1705 is a temporary program designed to address the current economic conditions of the nation. It authorizes loan guarantees for certain renewable energy systems, electric power transmission systems and leading edge biofuels projects that commence construction no later than September 30, 2011. The Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) Loan Program consists of direct loans to support the development of advanced technology vehicles and associated components in the U.S. The more publicized loan guarantee recipients include Solyndra , BrightSource Energy , Ford, Fisker , and Tesla. (See the more complete list of loan recipients at the end of this article.) The Loan Program Office (LPO) has issued conditional commitments to 13 power generation projects with cumulative project costs of over $27 billion. This represents a greater investment in clean energy generation projects than the entire private sector made in 2009 ($10.6 billion), and almost as much as was invested in such projects in 2008 -- the peak financing year to date ($22.6 billion), according to the DOE.
    [Show full text]
  • Fulfilling the Promise of Concentrating Solar Power Low-Cost Incentives Can Spur Innovation in the Solar Market
    AGENCY/PHOTOGRAPHER ASSOCIATED PRESS ASSOCIATED Fulfilling the Promise of Concentrating Solar Power Low-Cost Incentives Can Spur Innovation in the Solar Market By Sean Pool and John Dos Passos Coggin June 2013 WWW.AMERICANPROGRESS.ORG Fulfilling the Promise of Concentrating Solar Power Low-Cost Incentives Can Spur Innovation in the Solar Market By Sean Pool and John Dos Passos Coggin May 2013 Contents 1 Introduction and summary 3 6 reasons to support concentrating solar power 5 Concentrating solar power is a proven zero-carbon technology with high growth potential 6 Concentrating solar power can be used for baseload power 7 Concentrating solar power has few impacts on natural resources 8 Concentrating solar power creates jobs Concentrating solar power is low-cost electricity 9 Concentrating solar power is carbon-free electricity on a budget 11 Market and regulatory challenges to innovation and deployment of CSP technology 13 Low-cost policy solutions to reduce risk, promote investment, and drive innovation 14 Existing policy framework 15 Policy reforms to reduce risk and the cost of capital 17 Establish an independent clean energy deployment bank 18 Implement CLEAN contracts or feed-in tariffs Reinstate the Department of Energy’s Loan Guarantee Program 19 Price carbon Policy reforms to streamline regulation and tax treatment 20 Tax reform for capital-intensive clean energy technologies Guarantee transmission-grid connection for solar projects 21 Stabilize and monetize existing tax incentives 22 Further streamline regulatory approval by creating an interagency one-stop shop for solar power 23 Regulatory transparency 24 Conclusion 26 About the authors 27 Endnotes Introduction and summary Concentrating solar power—also known as concentrated solar power, concen- trated solar thermal, and CSP—is a cost-effective way to produce electricity while reducing our dependence on foreign oil, improving domestic energy-price stabil- ity, reducing carbon emissions, cleaning our air, promoting economic growth, and creating jobs.
    [Show full text]
  • United States Department Ofthe Interior
    United States Department ofthe Interior FISH AND Wll.DLIFE SERVICE Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office ·' 2493 Portola Road, Suite B Ventura, california 93003 Dl REPLY IUiFlIIlTO: Bl440-201G-F-D096 . 8-8-1G-F-24 , : October 1.2010 ,I DATE-, (CCTO 1 201/) ,1"_ - -.. ". ~ Memorandum. " REeD; (OCT :~ 8 201 To: District Manager, California Desert'District, Bureau ofLand Management, Morenoyalley. CalifO~ From: FielJ?~~v~ru:m FiSh and Wildlife Office. Ventura. California Subject: Biological Opinion on BrightSource Energy's Ivanpah Solar E;lectric Generating System Project, San Bernardino County. California [CACA-48668, 49502, 49503, 49504] (8-8-1O-F-24) This document transmits the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (Service) biological opinion based on our review ofthe Bureau ofLand Management's (Bureau) proposed issuance ofa right-of­ way grant to Solar Partners I. LLC. Solar Partners II, LLC, and Solar Partners VIII. LLC for the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System (ISEGS) and its effects on the federally threatened desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizil) in accordance with section 7 ofthe Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). Because BrightSource Energy is a parent company for all Solar Partner Companies, this biological opiniO:J;l refers to the project proponents collectively as BrightSource. 'The proposed project involves construction, operation, maintenance,and decommissioning of a 370-megawatt solar thermal power plant and associated infrastructure and facilities on 3.5~2 acres ofpublic land managed by the Bureau. Your December 7, 2009 request for formal consultation was received on December 8, 2009. This biological opinion is based on information that accompanied your December 7, 2009 request for consultation and additional information regarding changes in the project description and tranSlocation strategy obtained from Bureau staff during the formal consultation p~ocess.
    [Show full text]
  • 04-Rasmussen-SW Hydrology 102209 Final.Pptx
    Utility Scale Solar: Reducing Risk for Utilities October 2009 1 Proprietary & Confidential © 2009 BrightSource Energy, Inc. All rights reserved. Presentation Outline ØCorporate Overview Ø Energy Challenge Ø CSP Overview Ø Technology (R&D) Ø Development Ø Environment 2 Proprietary & Confidential © 2009 BrightSource Energy, Inc. All rights reserved. BrightSource Energy Snapshot Mission: To design, build, own and operate the world’s most cost-effective and reliable large scale solar energy projects Ø Business: § Develop and build large-scale solar power generation plants for utilities at prices that compete with fossil-fuel plants, using proprietary LPT technology § Develop and build solar-to-steam plants for industrial applications Ø Locations: § Headquarters in Oakland, California, 52 full-time employees § Wholly-owned subsidiary BrightSource Industries Israel (BSII) located in Jerusalem, 112 full-time employees § Development offices in Phoenix, AZ and Las Vegas, NV 3 Proprietary & Confidential © 2009 BrightSource Energy, Inc. All rights reserved. BrightSource Energy Highlights Ø Proven technology Ø Experienced management team Ø Favorable market and regulatory environment Ø 2.6 GWs of signed PPAs with PG&E and SCE Ø Bechtel as EPC, with a project investment agreement Ø Chevron solar-to-steam project under construction Ø 4 GWs of active site development with a 19 GW portfolio Ø $160 million from blue chip investor base 4 Proprietary & Confidential © 2009 BrightSource Energy, Inc. All rights reserved. BrightSource Energy Renewable Power
    [Show full text]
  • Utilities Join the Party As Solar Power Goes Mainstream
    Release: 5th March 2019 Utilities join the party as solar power goes mainstream The list of the world’s top solar power plant owners released today by Wiki-Solar.org shows that leading energy utilities are building significant solar portfolios. Chinese, US and Indian power companies now have substantial solar capacity in their home markets, while European multinationals are building global portfolios. This marks a major shift – just five years ago there were only six utilities in the top thirty. The top solar generation owners, based on identified cumulative capacity to the end of 2018 were: Plant owners Plants Capacity Rank © wiki-solar.org number MWAC 1 State Power Investment Corporation [CN] 50 2,659 2 NextEra Energy [US] 43 2,627 3 Global Infrastructure Partners [US] 36 2,060 4 ENEL Green Power [IT] 33 2,015 5 Adani [IN] 28 1,957 6 Panda Green Energy [CN] 31 1,832 7 ACME [IN] 32 1,629 8 Southern Power [US] 25 1,494 9 National Thermal Power Corporation [IN] 15 1,391 10 AES Corporation [US] 60 1,301 11 Consolidated Edison Development [US] 25 1,256 12 EDF – Électricité de France [FR] 59 1,182 13 Dominion Energy [US] 42 1,153 14 Lightsource BP [GB] (part owned by BP) 149 1,102 15 Canadian Solar [CA] 28 1,100 16 Enerparc [DE] 141 1,076 17 Cypress Creek Renewables [US] 136 975 18 Sempra Energy [US] 13 941 19 GCL-Poly Energy Holdings [HK] 26 910 Top utility-scale solar generation capacity owners “Leading Chinese and US utilities like SPIC and NextEra have been prominent for some years” says Wiki-Solar founder Philip Wolfe, “while dynamic growth in India has brought utilities like Adani and NTPC into the list.
    [Show full text]
  • The Status of CSP Development
    The Status of CSP Development DISH STIRLING POWER TOWER CLFR Tom Mancini CSP Program Manager Sandia National Laboratories PARABOLIC TROUGH 505.844.8643 DISH STIRLING [email protected] [email protected] 1 Presentation Content • Brief Overview of Sandia National Laboratories • Background information • Examples of CSP Technologies − Parabolic Trough Systems − Power Tower Systems − Thermal Energy Storage − Dish Stirling Systems • Status of CSP Technologies • Cost of CSP and Resource Availability • Deployments • R & D Directions [email protected] 2 Four Mission Areas Sandia’s missions meet national needs in four key areas: • Nuclear Weapons • Defense Systems and Assessments • Energy, Climate and Infrastructure Security • International, Homeland, and Nuclear Security [email protected] 3 Research Drives Capabilities High Performance Nanotechnologies Extreme Computing & Microsystems Environments Computer Materials Engineering Micro Bioscience Pulsed Power Science Sciences Electronics Research Disciplines 4 People and Budget . On-site workforce: 11,677 FY10 operating revenue . Regular employees: 8,607 $2.3 billion 13% . Over 1,500 PhDs and 2,500 MS/MA 13% 43% 31% Technical staff (4,277) by discipline: (Operating Budget) Nuclear Weapons Defense Systems & Assessments Energy, Climate, & Infrastructure Security International, Homeland, and Nuclear Security Computing 16% Math 2% Chemistry 6% Physics 6% Other science 6% Other fields 12% Electrical engineering 21% Mechanical engineering 16% Other engineering 15% 5 Sandia’s NSTTF Dish Engine Engine Test Rotating Testing Facility Platform Established in 1976, we provide ………. • CSP R&D NSTTF • Systems analysis and FMEA • System and Tower Testing Solar Furnace component testing and support NATIONAL SOLAR THERMAL TEST FACILITY [email protected] 6 Labs Support the DOE Program The CSP Programs at Sandia and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) support the DOE Solar Energy Technology Program.
    [Show full text]
  • GEMINI SOLAR PROJECT Resource Management Plan Amendment and Draft Environmental Impact Statement Volume 1: Chapters 1 – 4
    U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management DOI------ BLM NV S010 2018 0051 EIS GEMINI SOLAR PROJECT Resource Management Plan Amendment and Draft Environmental Impact Statement Volume 1: Chapters 1 – 4 EIS Costs to- Date: $4,494,065 i The Bureau of Land Management is responsible for the stewardship of our public lands. The BLM’s mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN AMENDMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR THE GEMINI SOLAR PROJECT Responsible Agency: United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management Document Status: Draft (X) Final ( ) Abstract: Solar Partners XI, LLC is proposing to construct, operate, maintain, and decommission an approximately 690-megawatt photovoltaic solar electric generating facility and associated generation tie-line and access road facilities (Project) on approximately 7,100 acres of federal lands administered by the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The Project would be located approximately 33 miles northeast of Las Vegas and south of the Moapa River Indian Reservation in Clark County, Nevada. The expected life of the Project is 30 years. Solar Partners XI, LLC acquired an existing 44,000-acre right-of- way application filed in 2008 by BrightSource Energy, LLC for the APEX Solar Thermal Power Generation Facility. The approximately 7,100-acre Project would be located within the 44,000-acre right- of-way application area. The 1998 Las Vegas Resource Management Plan (RMP) classifies the right-of-way application area as a Class III Visual Resource Management (VRM) area, which lies adjacent to Class II areas (due to the presence of the Old Spanish National Historic Trail, Muddy Mountain Wilderness Area, and Bitter Springs Back Country Byway in the Project vicinity).
    [Show full text]
  • The Ivanpah Solar Project Named 2012 Energy Project of the Year
    THE IVANPAH SOLAR PROJECT NAMED 2012 ENERGY PROJECT OF THE YEAR Project recognized for its innovative approach, job creation and scale of clean energy production (LOS ANGELES, Calif.) April 24, 2012 – NRG Energy, Google, BrightSource Energy and EPC partner Bechtel announced that the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System (Ivanpah SEGS) received the 2012 Energy Project of the Year Award by the USC CMAA Green Symposium. Ivanpah SEGS in California’s Mojave Desert is currently the world’s largest concentrating solar power (CSP) plant under construction. When completed, it will nearly double the amount of solar thermal electricity produced in the US. “The sheer magnitude of the Ivanpah project is reinforcing California's position as the leader of renewable energy in the United States,” said Caroline Fletcher, USC Green Symposium Co- Chair. “The project has demonstrated an innovative approach to partnerships and is significantly contributing to job creation in the region. We’re very pleased to honor this important project with our 2012 Energy Project of the Year Award.” “Ivanpah is a flagship project, widely recognized for its environmentally-responsible design, and lauded for its role in helping to grow Southern California’s High Desert economy,” said Joe Desmond, SVP of Government Relations and Communications, BrightSource Energy. “We look forward to completing this important solar power facility and help California meet its economic and clean energy goals.” “We are pleased to be a part of this award-winning project. The innovation applied to the engineering and construction of Ivanpah will help advance the renewable energy industry and make solar energy a viable option for more people,” said Jim Ivany, president of renewable power at Bechtel.
    [Show full text]
  • Background Report Prepared by Arizona State University NINETY-NINTH ARIZONA TOWN HALL
    Arizona’s Energy Future 99th Arizona Town Hall November 6 - 9, 2011 Background Report Prepared by Arizona State University NINETY-NINTH ARIZONA TOWN HALL PREMIER PARTNER CONTRIBUTING PARTNER COLLABORATING PARTNERS SUPPORTING PARTNERS CIVIC PARTNERS CORE Construction Kennedy Partners Ryley, Carlock & Applewhite Sundt Construction One East Camelback, Suite 530, Phoenix, Arizona 85012 Phone: 602.252.9600 Fax: 602.252.6189 Website: www.aztownhall.org Email: [email protected] ARIZONA’S ENERGY FUTURE September 2011 We thank you for making the commitment to participate in the 99th Arizona Town Hall to be held at the Grand Canyon on November 6-9, 2011. You will be discussing and developing consensus with fellow Arizonans on the future of energy in Arizona. An essential element to the success of these consensus-driven discussions is this background report that is provided to all participants before the Town Hall convenes. As they have so often done for past Arizona Town Halls, Arizona State University has prepared a detailed and informative report that will provide a unique and unparalleled resource for your Town Hall panel sessions. Special thanks go to editors Clark Miller and Sharlissa Moore of the Consortium for Science, Policy, and Outcomes at ASU for spearheading this effort and marshaling many talented professionals to write individual chapters. For sharing their wealth of knowledge and professional talents, our thanks go to the many authors who contributed to the report. Our deepest gratitude also goes to University Vice President and Dean of the College of Public Programs for ASU, Debra Friedman, and Director of the School of Public Affairs for ASU, Jonathan Koppell, who made great efforts to ensure that ASU could provide this type of resource to Arizona.
    [Show full text]
  • Planning for the Energy Transition: Solar Photovoltaics in Arizona By
    Planning for the Energy Transition: Solar Photovoltaics in Arizona by Debaleena Majumdar A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy Approved November 2018 by the Graduate Supervisory Committee: Martin J. Pasqualetti, Chair David Pijawka Randall Cerveny Meagan Ehlenz ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY December 2018 ABSTRACT Arizona’s population has been increasing quickly in recent decades and is expected to rise an additional 40%-80% by 2050. In response, the total annual energy demand would increase by an additional 30-60 TWh (terawatt-hours). Development of solar photovoltaic (PV) can sustainably contribute to meet this growing energy demand. This dissertation focuses on solar PV development at three different spatial planning levels: the state level (state of Arizona); the metropolitan level (Phoenix Metropolitan Statistical Area); and the city level. At the State level, this thesis answers how much suitable land is available for utility-scale PV development and how future land cover changes may affect the availability of this land. Less than two percent of Arizona's land is considered Excellent for PV development, most of which is private or state trust land. If this suitable land is not set-aside, Arizona would then have to depend on less suitable lands, look for multi-purpose land use options and distributed PV deployments to meet its future energy need. At the Metropolitan Level, ‘agrivoltaic’ system development is proposed within Phoenix Metropolitan Statistical Area. The study finds that private agricultural lands in the APS (Arizona Public Service) service territory can generate 3.4 times the current total energy requirements of the MSA.
    [Show full text]
  • Curriculum Changes Resulting in a New B.S. in Renewable Energy Engineering
    AC 2009-689: CURRICULUM CHANGES RESULTING IN A NEW B.S. IN RENEWABLE ENERGY ENGINEERING Robert Bass, Oregon Institute of Technology Dr. Robert Bass is an assistant professor at the Oregon Institute of Technology, where he directs the Renewable Energy Engineering bachelors degree program (BSREE), the first engineering program of its kind in North America. He is also a member of the Oregon Renewable Energy Center, OREC, where he participates in undergraduate research projects concerning microhydro power generation, solar thermal absorption chillers and electrochemical production of hydrogen. In addition to running the BSREE program, Dr. Bass also specializes in teaching courses in electrochemistry, electromechanical energy conversion, electric power, circuit fundamentals, photovoltaic systems, fuel cells, solid-state materials and power electronics. Dr. Bass received his Doctorate in Electrical Engineering from the University of Virginia in 2004. His dissertation research centered on sub-micron semiconductor device fabrication methods, submillimeter-wave and quasi-optical circuit design, and unique fabrication technologies for superconducting terahertz heterodyne receivers. He got into renewable energy via good fortune. Thomas White, Oregon Institute of Technology Tom White comes to the OIT Renewable Energy Engineering faculty after 30 years working in industry as a manufacturing engineer, renewable energy projects manager, technical writer and course developer, business process consultant, and – most recently – the lead engineer at a design firm, where he managed a small group of talented young engineers who model and analyze energy use in “green buildings.” Tom has previously taught as an adjunct at Portland State and the University of Phoenix. His interests lie in teaching core engineering courses including statics, thermodynamics, heat transfer, fluid mechanics, and technical writing, as well as advanced courses in renewable energy applications, building energy systems, and the analysis and design of “green” buildings.
    [Show full text]
  • Solar Photovoltaic Manufacturing: Industry Trends, Global Competition, Federal Support
    U.S. Solar Photovoltaic Manufacturing: Industry Trends, Global Competition, Federal Support Michaela D. Platzer Specialist in Industrial Organization and Business January 27, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R42509 U.S. Solar PV Manufacturing: Industry Trends, Global Competition, Federal Support Summary Every President since Richard Nixon has sought to increase U.S. energy supply diversity. Job creation and the development of a domestic renewable energy manufacturing base have joined national security and environmental concerns as reasons for promoting the manufacturing of solar power equipment in the United States. The federal government maintains a variety of tax credits and targeted research and development programs to encourage the solar manufacturing sector, and state-level mandates that utilities obtain specified percentages of their electricity from renewable sources have bolstered demand for large solar projects. The most widely used solar technology involves photovoltaic (PV) solar modules, which draw on semiconducting materials to convert sunlight into electricity. By year-end 2013, the total number of grid-connected PV systems nationwide reached more than 445,000. Domestic demand is met both by imports and by about 75 U.S. manufacturing facilities employing upwards of 30,000 U.S. workers in 2014. Production is clustered in a few states including California, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, and Washington. Domestic PV manufacturers operate in a dynamic, volatile, and highly competitive global market now dominated by Chinese and Taiwanese companies. China alone accounted for nearly 70% of total solar module production in 2013. Some PV manufacturers have expanded their operations beyond China to places like Malaysia, the Philippines, and Mexico.
    [Show full text]