The Biden-Harris Administration announced new initiatives to accelerate solar energy development on public lands in the western United States, as reported by Reuters on December 6. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland states that the Biden-Harris Administration plans to expand clean energy development and accelerate the reviews of new solar projects, which include three solar projects in Arizona proposed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The three solar projects can potentially generate one gigawatt (GW) of clean energy. The BLM will also update its 2012 solar energy development program to reflect improved technology, new transmission, and new clean energy goals, with plans to add more states to the program and identify new areas for solar energy development. 

The Biden Administration’s support toward solar energy development is in line with the country’s goal to scale up the production and use of clean energy and achieve a 100% clean power grid in the US by 2035. To achieve the ambitious goals, the US needs to deploy a large amount of renewable energy rapidly, including wind and solar energy. The US’s energy transition towards clean energy is expected to help reduce unemployment rates and provide affordable, low-carbon energy across the country.

Sources:

https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/secretary-haaland-announces-new-steps-accelerate-solar-energy-development-public-lands

https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/us-will-consider-new-priority-areas-solar-energy-public-lands-2022-12-06/

https://www.reuters.com/business/sustainable-business/us-struggle-meet-bidens-power-grid-climate-goal-woodmac-2021-09-16/