Unintended Consequences: Solar Power Increases, Water Decreases
Sept 30, 2009 – Todd Woody writes “Solar Power in a Water War” in The New York Times. Ask anyone should we use solar power as a component of green energy and the expected answer will be “Yes”. Solar Millennium of Germany plans to build 2 large solar farms in rural Nevada creating hundreds of jobs and pollution-free electricity. How can that be bad? The plants would consume 1.3 billion gallons of water in the perennially water short Southwestern United States. This is where ranchers in the 19th century fought battles over water rights. In California, solar developers have already been forced to switch to less water-intensive technologies. Where are most solar farms planned? You guessed it. The desert. Joni Eastley, chariwoman of the county commission in Nye County, Nevada says that the requests for water use from renewable energy developers exceeds the available amount of water. NextEra Energy Resources, a subsidiary of FPL Group of Florida wants to build a large solar plant in an area east of Bakersfield, California that is, you guessed it, dry. Please leave your comments on this situation.