"Nine projects in California are making their way through the Bureau of Land Management's fast-track program which, if completed, will bring over 4,500 megawatts worth of generating capacity onto the grid."
"The nine projects would cover more than 41,000 acres of BLM land and provide enough power for 3.8 million homes, according to federal estimates."
Demand for such large scale solar power projects in the desert has been driven by a California mandate which requires utilities to obtain 20% of their electricity from sustainable sources by year's end.
Technologies at the sites vary: "The 392-megawatt Ivanpah project, which technology provider BrightSource Energy expects to start construction on this fall, uses a field of mirrors focused on a tower which heats a liquid to make steam that drives a turbine." Elsewhere in California, San Bernardino County is installing "giant parabolic dishes which use the sun's heat to drive an attached Stirling engine to generate electricity."
FULL STORY: Solar Power Plans Move Ahead in California
Greener Gasoline to Come from Solar-Powered Oil Wells in California
Crude oil from Kern County's Belridge field will soon have a much lower life cycle carbon intensity thanks to new solar technology used to extract hard-to-get oil. The renewal of California's carbon cap-and-trade market made it possible.
Solar Thermal Power Tower Debuts in U.S.
This week, eSolar debuted the first solar thermal power tower in the U.S., which they say is a step forward in technology and affordability.
California's Canal Solar Projects Aim to Conserve Resources and Expand Clean Energy
California’s Project Nexus has begun generating electricity from solar panels installed over irrigation canals, with researchers and state agencies exploring statewide expansion to conserve water and boost clean energy production.
Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself
The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.
Savannah Reduces Speed Limits on Almost 100 City Streets
The historic Georgia city is lowering speed limits in an effort to reduce road fatalities.
A Park Reborn: Resilience and Renewal in Fire-Stricken Altadena
Rebuilt in just two months after the devastating Eaton Fire, Loma Alta Park now stands as a symbol of community resilience and renewal, even as some residents hope recovery efforts will continue to support housing stability and long-term equity.
Spain Moves to Ban 66,000 Airbnbs
The national government is requiring the short-term rental operator to remove thousands of illegal listings from its site as part of an effort to stem a growing housing crisis.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Clovis
City of Moorpark
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions