La Paz County, ArizonaIf the U.S. government approves Jove Solar LLC’s application for a 30-year right-of-way grant, it could become the site of a large-scale solar energy installation. For project planning and environmental concerns, Bureau of Land Management Tuesday.
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If approved, the Jove Solar Project will generate up to 600 megawatts of energy to sell to California or Arizona to support their growing energy needs. The site includes 3,495 acres of public land managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and an additional 38 acres of land in La Paz County.
The project location is in Variance Land, approximately 22 miles east-southeast of Brenda and 30 miles west of Tonopah. As the project will be built on distributed land, Jove Solar will have to apply for a permit to start this project. The application includes approvals from agencies such as the BLM, Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) before Jove Solar begins construction.
Variance lands are not identified as solar energy zones and are not allowed for solar energy facilities. The 30-year right-of-way grant allows Jove Solar to build projects on Valiant Land as long as they comply with regulations set by BLM, the Federal Land Policy Management Act, and other federal laws and regulations . .
AZGFD and the public have expressed concern about certain animals affected by the project. For example, pronghorn antelopes are sometimes found on or near the site and are part of the Endangered Species Act. However, according to the Jove Solar Project’s Variance Process Report, this particular population of pronghorn antelopes is considered a nonessential experimental population and is not dependent on species survival.
FWS raised concerns about the “lake effect” common to solar energy installations. The lake effect is the theory that the reflectors on solar panels can attract and harm birds. Ford Mauney, a BLM wildlife biologist, said this was a major concern for the project. “We will monitor the impact on birds,” Morney told conference attendees.
The location of a solar facility depends on several factors, including flat, undeveloped land, potential to reduce or avoid harmful environmental impacts, proximity to energy transmission lines, and weather conditions that allow unobstructed solar radiation. was selected due to the factors of Variance process report.
If approved, the project will begin in 2024 with tasks such as engineering, research and pre-clearing scheduled. According to Erica Stewart, a wildlife biologist and her BLM project manager, she plans to begin construction in 2025 and complete in early 2027.
Generally, this type of PV project has a lifespan of 30 to 40 years. According to Stewart, the Jove Solar Project application was his 30-year site site that included a landfill bond. This means that “the company is responsible for returning the land to its present condition prior to construction.”
During the construction phase, an average of 300 temporary workers will be employed, with a peak of 600 temporary workers. Temporary workers include construction company employees and commercial electricians, Stewart said. Once the project is complete, he will need 6 to 8 full-time workers to make sure the facility is functioning properly. Rick Hohenstein, project manager at 174 Power Global, which owns Jove Solar LLC, said:
Estimated costs for the project have not been released, but Jove Solar LLC will cover the full cost, according to Stephanie Lauer, Environmental Permits Manager at 174 Power Global.
Several Solar Energy Zones (SEZs) throughout Arizona were considered. However, none of these SEZs had enough land to support this project.
