assessing the west

8/13/2019 Assessing the West

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Erik Jensen

Individual Essay #2

International Development in Practice

November 13, 2013

Assessing the West

The American southwest is marked by a myriad of landscapes. However, a vast portion is

painted by the most barren type of land in the world – desert. The arid climate and scarce

precipitation expose the Earth’s skin, with virtually no vegetation, to the elements of the desert,

namely wind and sun. Though the American southwest lies mockingly close to the Pacific

Ocean, it bears none of the benefits for its proximity, rendering the desert dry and seemingly

useless. The federal agency with the unenviable responsibility of overseeing the competing uses

of this public land – minerals, wildlife, energy, watershed, scarce trees and the people who hug

them – is the Bureau of Land Management.

In the constantly changing West, the BLM is responsible for managing 245 million acres

of surface land, and 700 million acres of sub-surface minerals, all of which have multiple uses.

In theory, the BLM has enough land to spread across all of its demands; however, since the

arrival of the pioneers, the lands have not been managed for all things equally, but for the

priorities of the age, and rightfully so. Gold miners have moved out, and entrepreneurs have

moved in, bringing with them industry and energy demands. With conservation and environment

at the forefront, the BLM has reconciled its efforts into finding energy solutions parallel to the

pressures of developing public lands. For this reason, the Bureau has turned to the deserts and is

playing to its strengths by recognizing the potential for solar and wind power. At the same time,

the Bureau has put into effect stringent policies which protect lands while simultaneously

opening up their energy potential. In a region where theory of change has been inhibited by lack


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of options, an alternative has been provided in a subtly simple way. Solar and wind power

provide a solution in the eternal human quest for energy.

The BLM analyzes land in the west for many criteria, ensuring that projects are

optimized for usage. Using Geographic Information System (GIS) data, the BLM assesses

potential for solar and wind technologies on public lands. The product of this evaluation is an

identification of renewable energy resource sites, and any limitations, for development projects.

The site screening process for solar power development is pertinent in the deserts of the

southwest, where solar radiation levels are some of the strongest in the world. The most

important criterion is land which has a solar resource of at least five of direct

sunlight. Through GIS data, a significant portion of the west, and the entirety of the southwest, is

suitable under this field. Furthermore, there are regions in Arizona, Nevada, and California

which receive at least eight of sunlight, making projects even more feasible. The

second most important screening field is land slope, with a maximum of five percent grading and

ideally less than one percent grading over a site. This proves to be more limiting, with the Pacific

mountain ranges, basin, and plateau characteristics of the southwest which hinder effectiveness.

Even so, many locations still prove suitable.

Transmission access is then examined in order to utilize existing infrastructure and limit

the environmental impact and costs associated with expanding current transmission grids. Sites

need to have transmission access within 50 miles as well as available capacity (69-345 kV). Only

a few locations are limited based off of this criterion, given the acceptable range. Transmission

line data sets cover the lower 48 states and are generally complete down to 100 kV. The most

suitable transmission lines for development tend to be the ones with lower voltages; however, a


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national data set for these transmission lines could not be located for the BLM study. The next

screening criterion examined is land parcel size. In order to optimize public land efforts, a land

parcel is required to be at least 40 acres in area. This is due to the infrastructure and project

demands for solar projects, which require a certain scale in order to prove feasible.

The final screening criterion is access to roads or rail. Similar to transmission line access,

a site must be within 50 miles of roads or rail. The road data uses only major paved roads;

however, it is acceptable to have access to dirt roads which have the ability to be upgraded. For

the American southwest, access to roads is not a severe limitation, with only a portion of Idaho

being affected. The BLM maintains that other identification factors are important in evaluating

potential for renewable energy projects, but are limiting to a lesser extent. These site factors

include water resource availability, removal of vegetation, location within 25 miles of a main

natural gas pipeline, policy support, livestock protection possible, and location within 100 miles

of a population center. The BLM has approved 25 solar energy projects on the compatible lands.

Wind projects are also pertinent in the southwest, where desert winds have proven their

usefulness, manifest in the unusual signs sketched into the landscape – the rock arches, canyons,

and dunes which scar the southwest. These are products of the jet streams which provide a

constant source of erosion, but for the BLM, a source of energy. Wind resource sites are also

assessed in the same way as solar sites, with slightly differing criteria. The most important factor

for wind projects is wind potential, with sites needing to demonstrate winds in Class 4 and above

for short term winds, and Class 3 and above for long term winds. Many ideal locations based on

this measurement are found in Nevada and Wyoming. The next most important criterion for

wind projects is policy support. As the fastest growing energy technology worldwide, many


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policies focus on incentivizing wind as a renewable energy source. As a result, the BLM

anticipates long term interest in the use of public lands for wind development.

Similarly to solar, the next identification factor determined is transmission access. For

wind sites, transmission access must be within 25 miles with available capacity (69-345 kV).

This is needed for feasible infrastructure capabilities. Sites are then assessed for compatibility

with wind energy development. This is less measureable, and therefore is a facet of social

response. Sites in view of scenic areas, view-shed, and non-developmental regions are

eliminated. Envisioning wind turbines hundreds of feet tall, reaching where the wind is faster and

less turbulent, juxtaposed with the Grand Canyon rightfully draws public concern. Finally, the

site must have access to roads within 50 miles. Other features include a parcel size of ten square

miles at best, and an optimal elevation of 3,000 to 4,500 feet. In total, the BLM has authorized

39 development projects on the lands which are compatible under these criteria.

The Bureau of Land Management is a promising model for renewable energy in Chile.

The similarities for this model are especially prevalent in the northern region of Chile. Welcome

to the Atacama Desert – the driest place on Earth. As Chile gets closer to becoming a developed

nation, the temptation is to focus on the wealth that has been attained, yet there is a flaw:

trajectory focuses on the direction moving forward without remembering the basic needs which

still exist. The question in Chile is whether or not the cycle of inequality will continue.

Disconnect between peoples has the potential to uproot the assumption of how change takes

place. Developers are focusing on wealth, yet the villagers are still asking for electricity. Finding

optimal project sites is challenging, but ensuring a renewable and equal energy source in the

desert is a challenge of a different kind. Wind and solar energy can provide a steadfast source to

meet this challenge in the deserts, as resolute as the winds and sun which formed them.


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Bibliography

Rep. US Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management – Assessing the

Potential for Renewable Energy on Public Lands (2003). Print.

USA. US Department of the Interior. Bureau of Land Management. Renewable Energy:

Solar . Washington D.C..: n.p., 2013. Print.

USA. US Department of the Interior. Bureau of Land Management. Renewable Energy:

Wind . Washington D.C.: n.p., 2013. Print.

assessing the west

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