LAND RIPE FOR SUN

Perfect marriage of land and need: solar
April 2, 2011 (Bakersfield Californian)

"Eastern Kern County has long been the place for energy entrepreneurs to put their plans into action. Wind and solar projects are in abundance in the Tehachapis and points east, to the great benefit of state and regional economies. As bad as things are now, they'd be worse without this important investment.

"…So it's welcome news that Kern County supervisors have given their blessing to a…solar project between Taft and Interstate 5…The 700-megawatt project positions photovoltaic solar panels on 4,868 acres -- and transitions a vast swath of land from an agricultural designation to industrial. The farming designation was in name only…Maricopa Sun LLC hasn't been able to find enough water to make a go of it during its eight years of ownership."

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"The property's visibility from the top of the Grapevine -- from a distance, it'll look like a string of small lakes -- could serve as a nice billboard for the green-energy potential of the arid southwestern corner of the San Joaquin Valley.

"With water in such short supply…and energy challenges ever present, projects like this are the perfect marriage of land and need. The Central Valley needs more green-energy projects, not fewer, and the more diverse and innovative, the better."

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"…Fresno County…[and] the French company Areva…[are discussing] the economic viability of a large solar-thermal power installation on that county's west side…[U]nlike solar photovoltaic panels, [it would use] a network of mirrors to superheat water into steam, which then drives turbines and generates electricity.

"…[With] sun in abundance…the San Joaquin Valley [residents]…must continue to strive to maximize [their] potential as food producers, but there's more than one way to fuel America's needs. And the valley's west side is the ideal place to do it [with solar energy]."