The US government opens 22 million acres of federal lands to solar

ono · 10 months ago

The US government opens 22 million acres of federal lands to solar

Montagge · 10 months ago

Which will eventually be sold to private entities and public land will continue to disappear. Just like all of the public land Weyerhauser has gobbled up and shut off access. Oh I’m sorry you could pay $350 for a yearly pass that they only put a handful of out.

@[email protected] · 10 months ago

We don’t really need new area for solar. We’ve got plenty, and I mean plenty, of developed hard surfaces panels can be put on top of.

Also, they already usually have infrastructural connection to power, so thats a bonus.

@[email protected] · 10 months ago

How many acres of parking lots does the federal government own that could accomplish this without disturbing the environment?

@vinylshrapnel · 10 months ago

This is way bigger than you think it is.

@[email protected] · 10 months ago

It’s just frustrating when people talk about solar they seem to be ok with wrecking the environment. It would be relatively easy to retrofit parking lots.

People also talk about turning roads and sidewalks into solar. It’s like parking is some sort of untouchable structure that we can’t demand be part of the solution.

andrew · 10 months ago

I had to use the environment to destroy the environment. It nearly killed me.

@[email protected] · 10 months ago

It’s much more expensive and slower to put a solar roof on a parking lot then it is to drop it in a field.

@[email protected] · 10 months ago

Good point. I was gonna say, acres upon acres of solar farms would be equivalent to paving the land they’re on. And unlike the African Sahara, we don’t have much in the way of actual wasteland with zero life around here.

Someone further down the comment chain suggested parking lots. Rooftops would be a better move too - just need a tax incentive and we’re off to the races.

toiletobserver · 10 months ago

I can’t vouch for this website, but if true, this seems like a great step in the right direction.

https://8billiontrees.com/solar-panels/how-many-solar-panels-to-power-the-us/#:~:text=How Many Acres of Solar,13%2C600%2C000 acres of solar panels.

@vinylshrapnel · 10 months ago

For reference, that is an area larger than South Carolina and nearly as large as Maine.

@[email protected] · 10 months ago

Solar is great, but decentralization is the way. Not this centralized, metered, power centralizing “green energy”.