The Mojave Desert is known for its size and heat levels. It’s not surprising that it was picked as a spot to generate clean energy.
In 2010, California had a plan to install 30,000 solar mirrors across thousands of acres of public land.
The federal government saw fit to fast-track the project, and it seemed to be all systems go.
But today, the patch of desert that was earmarked is empty.
What happened to derail the multimillion-dollar green power dream?
A plan for futuristic solar generation that “mirrored” energy goals
The push for renewable energy was at a high in the year 2010. The federal government was looking for major wins in the fight against climate change.
It was decided that large-scale projects on public lands would be fast-tracked.
This was the climate of the industry around the Calico Solar Project. Developers started eyeing 8,200 acres of land in the Mojave.
There was nothing standard about the blueprint for the solar park. Engineers slated 30,000 futuristic SunCatcher dishes into their plans.
This was cutting-edge technology at the time. The massive units are powered by Stirling engines and designed to track the sun automatically.
There was a lot of political weight behind the project. The initiative was signed off on by the U.S. Department of the Interior, saying it was a vital step forward for energy.
With Washington’s backing, thousands of homes were set to be linked up to clean electricity. Failure didn’t seem possible with such well-laid plans and support.
But there was a hidden variable in the desert waiting to change everything.
A familiar paradox: Green energy vs. local conservation
A conflict was brewing that only became evident far into the planning stage.
Green energy’s footprint on ecosystems has become a contentious aspect of the industry. This project was no different.
Conservationists got involved to put a stop to the project. Organizations like the Defenders of Wildlife raised a red flag about an issue in the sand that no one had considered yet.
The Mojave site turned out to be an important habitat for desert tortoises.
The threatened species depends on this part of the land for survival.
The Bureau of Land Management oversaw a protest process. Developers were pushed to compromize to survive the environmental backlash.
They cut the project by nearly half to 4,604 acres. But the storm had not passed.
The smaller footprint didn’t change the situation with conservation laws. Logistics complications and legal threats still had to be dealt with.
Momentum was being lost, and it was happening faster than developers could find solutions.
What happened after all the tortoise drama?
More issues came up while the tortoise battle was dragging on.
The BNSF Railway raised a safety concern. Apparently, the glare from the mirrors would affect train operators by effectively blinding them during navigation.
All these delays in combination eventually put a stop to the whole project.
The developers ran out of time after all the years of stalling. Southern California Edison finally canceled its power purchase agreement.
A win for green power that never came to be
Pouring money into an energy endeavor without a utility company committed to buying the electricity is pointless.
In June 2013, the developer, K Road Sun / Calico Solar LLC, formally surrendered its building and operating license. Then, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) terminated the right-of-way grant.
The pristine desert habitat remained completely undisturbed.
The non-existent Calico Solar Project ultimately serves as a lesson for the whole clean energy industry.
Can progress be genuinely sustainable if it forces us to harm the biodiversity we are trying to protect?
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