What would you do with a 10-million-acre area of California desert? The Obama administration just announced it will use a piece of federally-owned land for two purposes: renewable energy development, and preservation of the unique and valuable desert ecosystem. The so-called Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP) is impressive: it’s unprecedented in scope and nature, covering an area from Death Valley to San Diego County, spanning seven counties. According to the Ministry of the Interior, the land has the potential to support 20,000 megawatts of renewable solar and wind projects, which is about equal to the amount of solar energy installed nationwide today. The DRECP has been viewed as a tool to help California meet its climate targets of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent from 1990 levels.
Climate-friendly makeover will turn California desert into clean energy paradise
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