Solar Energy in the Central Valley and the Chicken and Egg Challenge

Over the past several years thousands of megawatts of renewable energy projects have been approved for construction on both public and private lands in California. The main development areas have been the Mojave Desert and Carrizo Plain areas of the state. But another region of California with great potential — the San Joaquin Valley — is still largely undeveloped, awaiting a commitment from state planners and regulators to prioritize the building of the transmission line needed to make development in this area feasible. The first San Joaquin Valley area project, known as the Westlands Competitive Renewable Energy Zone (CREZ), has huge potential to contribute clean energy to meet California’s carbon reduction goals, but it has encountered regulatory roadblocks.

Solar Energy in the Central Valley and the Chicken and Egg Challenge