A report in the New York Times' Green, Inc. blog focuses on a recent initiative by the Department of the Interior to try to spur more development of solar energy resources as well as the wind industry by identifying land parcels in parts of six different states.
Renewable energy companies are reportedly jockeying for access to the sites deemed best for energy production, with 158 applications currently under proposal. Still, the report adds that companies that do secure access to these government-owned lands are not necessarily at an advantage over other companies engaged in similar projects on private land, since the federal application process can last as long as 18 months.
Even though the Interior Department isn't expected to finish fully evaluating the lands in question until next year, companies are also reported by the blog to be engaged in a "mini land rush" with an eye on projects that would be in the areas currently being studied.
Looking ahead, one issue that clean power companies will have to deal with in places like the California desert will be opposition from environmentalists who maintain that wildlife habitat and other sensitive aspects of the ecosystem could be disrupted by some of the large projects currently being proposed.
