Edison Proposes Solar Power Plant outside of Lake Los Angeles

The Antelope Valley Press has reported that Southern California Edison under its power generation division Edison Mission Energy is planning a150 megawatt photovoltaic plant in Antelope Valley, Ca. Edison Mission Energy has solar power operations in Mojave Ca. in Kern County presently. They are looking to expand south into the eastern edge of Los Angeles County at the San Bernardino County line. The proposed site is currently on presently or previously farmed agricultural land near 240th street East at Ave S.

Edison Mission Energy looks like they have targeted previously disturbed land, which should enable them to leap major environmental issues. The request for development has already begun earlier this summer, and they hope for final approval by late 2010. This project also uses photovoltaic technology which doesn’t require water, and the solar panels will only rise a few feet above the ground. It is a strategy that other solar power companies have used that can fast track the process, and limits the environmental impact.

The Wind Farms of Tehachapi and Solar Plants of Mojave, and Lancaster have become a green zone in the new energy economy. These areas were primarily vacant pre-developed land and have increased in value with the housing boom earlier this decade and now a green energy renaissance has begun. Just a decade ago you could buy raw land in these areas for as low as $500 to $1000 an acre, and now even in this current down real estate market the prices have increased a minimum of one hundred percent. Most of this land has been undesirable land for building or development with the rolling hills of Tehachapi and arid desert land in Lancaster far from current development, but now these Alternative Energy Companies and Edison have taken root. These companies are taking advantage of low priced land and looking toward the future. With the potential population growth and the alternative energy development the Antelope Valley’s future is taking shape. We have invested in pre-developed land in these areas and we have taken advantage of the news and development of the area these past five years. We also encourage our investors to take a closer view at similar prudent opportunities.

Solar LA

There have been various news reports and press releases regarding an expansion of Solar Energy production in the Southwest and primarily in Los Angeles County. The Mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa in his recent State of LA speech called
The “Solar L.A.” plan “a commitment to Angelenos that the Department of Water and Power will install over 1200 megawatts of solar power over the next five years, ensuring that we become a solar powerhouse.”

Simultaneously, Reuters reported that the U.S. Interior Department this past Monday designated about 670,000 acres of land as potential areas for solar energy production.
"This environmentally sensitive plan will identify appropriate Interior-managed lands that have excellent solar energy potential and limited conflicts with wildlife, other natural resources or land users," Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said.

The land is divided into 24 solar energy zones spread across six western states and could generate nearly 100,000 megawatts of solar electricity. The department will evaluate the possible environmental impacts of solar production in these areas as well as their energy resources. This energy zone will encompass the States of Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, California and New Mexico.

Pasadena Based E-solar announced earlier this week that they have a Solar Project which is projected to produce 192 gigawatt hours of electricity yearly in an agreement with PG&E and NRG Energy's subsidiary AlpineSunTower. Their project will be near Lancaster, California and it is projected to handle the consumption of thirty thousand homes. The plant is scheduled for completion in 2012 according to E-Solar’s website.

In an earlier release, the California Public Utilities Commission approved a twenty year contract between Rosemead based Edison and E-Solar Inc. late last year. The agreement calls for Edison to purchase up to 245 megawatts of electricity from solar power plants built by E-Solar in the northern Antelope Valley.

The power plants will use mirrors to focus sunlight on towers containing water. The water is heated and turned into steam, which powers turbines and generates electricity. These solar power plants are set to come online in early 2012.

There is a significant amount of Wind Energy being produced in the Antelope Valley currently, and now a number of Solar Energy producers are breaking ground in Lancaster and Mojave Ca. Many of these Solar Power companies have been buying land outside Lancaster and Palmdale, Ca. turning this area into a potential thriving Green Energy Zone. This news bodes well for the future economy of Antelope Valley, and for current and future land owners. Stay tuned here for more news on this green energy front.