Tuesday, August 7, 2012

USA:

Joining Forces on Renewable Energy Development (Scientific American)

A partnership between the USA Interior and Defense departments will reopen 16 million acres of land to renewable energy development. The goal? To help ensure reliable energy supplies for the nation’s military bases, while protecting the environment and saving taxpayer money.

Highlighted in the memorandum were offshore wind generation opportunities for coastal bases. Solar, biomass, and geothermal were also discussed.

In a conference call yesterday, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding establishing a partnership between the two government agencies. This partnership will open up land previously managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and subsequently reassigned for military use. The vast majority of this land is located in the west, including large swaths in Nevada.

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