The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced the first proposed projects under its Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative, an effort to repurpose parts of DOE-owned lands for clean-energy generation. The selected projects are located within the 890-square-mile Idaho National Laboratory (INL) site and aim to produce 400 megawatts (MW) of solar power, sufficient to power 70,000 homes.
"Tens of thousands of acres of DOE-owned land across the nation are being transformed into thriving centers of carbon-free power generation," said U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm. "Working closely with community leaders and private sector partners, we’re cleaning up land once used in our nuclear deterrence programs and deploying the clean energy solutions we need to help save the planet and strengthen our energy independence."
Andrew Mayock, Federal Chief Sustainability Officer in the White House Council on Environmental Quality, emphasized the federal government's role: "President Biden directed the Federal Government to use its scale and procurement power, as the nation’s largest energy consumer and land manager, to support the growth of America’s clean energy industry and clean energy jobs, and do so in ways that are good for our taxpayers and our communities."
The initiative supports President Biden's climate goals outlined in Executive Order 14057, which calls for 100% clean electricity by 2030. NorthRenew Energy Partners proposes installing photovoltaics along with battery storage to produce over 300 MW on approximately 2,000 acres at INL. Spitfire plans a similar setup for generating 100 MW on about 500 acres.
Both developers will enter lease negotiations with DOE for these photovoltaic projects. The negotiation process allows DOE to cancel negotiations or rescind selections if necessary.
In addition to INL projects, DOE has issued requests for qualifications (RFQs) for leasing land at four other sites: Hanford in Washington; Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico; Nevada National Security Site; and Savannah River Site in South Carolina. Further selections will be announced this year.
DOE also plans additional RFQs for INL to solicit more generation-ready clean energy projects.
More information on the Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative is available here.
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