U.S. Heats Up Its Commitment to Solar Power

The world’s largest concentrating solar power plant opens on federal lands along the California-Nevada border. The plant is the latest example of the Obama administration’s commitment to developing clean-energy sources.

In his 2014 State of the Union address, President Obama highlighted the U.S. role as a global leader in solar power by announcing the country had installed 2.3 gigawatts of utility-scale solar power generation in 2013.

The U.S. Energy Department underscored that success February 12, saying the U.S. solar industry is more than 60 percent of the way to achieving cost-competitive, utility-scale solar photovoltaic electricity — only three years into the department’s decade-long SunShot Initiative.

The increasing reliance on clean-energy sources is a key component of the president’s commitment to address global climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

On February 13, Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz dedicated the world’s largest concentrating solar power plant in Ivanpah Dry Lake, California. The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System covers roughly 13 square kilometers of federal land near the California-Nevada border. Its 300,000 computer-controlled mirrors reflect sunlight to boilers mounted on 139-meter towers.

“In just the last few years, the U.S. has seen remarkable increases in clean and renewable energy — doubling the amount of energy that we produce from solar and wind,” Moniz said in a February 12 press release. “To continue this growth and position the U.S. as a global leader in clean energy innovation, the Energy Department is helping to advance new technologies that further reduce costs, improve performance and support new jobs and businesses across the country.”