Solargen Energy’s prospects are encouraging, but getting a
30,000-acre solar farm built in the Panoche Valley will demand
strong government leadership in finding the right balance of
expediting the process and gaining the most economic benefit for
local citizens.
Solargen Energy’s prospects are encouraging, but getting a 30,000-acre solar farm built in the Panoche Valley will demand strong government leadership in finding the right balance of expediting the process and gaining the most economic benefit for local citizens.
Solargen is the publicly-held Cupertino company that has proposed to build one of the world’s largest solar farms right here in San Benito County. The potential benefits far outweigh the detriments. The project could boost the tax base, spur offshoot economic development, increase tourism, create jobs and help to eventually lower our energy bills.
Some property owners in the Panoche Valley oppose the proposal while arguing it would ruin the area’s viewshed and undisturbed way of life. It may be pristine for a minority of county residents. For most, however, it’s largely desolate.
Looking at the county as a whole, the Panoche Valley represents some of the most unproductive land for agriculture in the area. It’s awfully hard, and for most types of farming impossible, to get by on three inches of rain per year.
You almost couldn’t find a better location, especially when taking into account its close proximity to Pacific Gas & Electric lines and large populations. As Solargen representatives pointed out, that area also is unique within the region because it doesn’t get covered by the coastal fog, increasing sun exposure.
That said, challenges remain for Solargen and San Benito County leaders. Both sides are working against the clock in a sense. Solargen hopes to get 30 percent of the $3 billion to $4 billion in necessary capital funded by the federal government, but companies seeking the incentive must have permits issued by the end of 2010.
It’s a worthy investment for the feds and investors. If green business is the next big thing, it’s going to require such incentives – as innovation often does – from the United States government.
That deadline, meanwhile, presents a daunting task and one that likely will include an often time-consuming environmental impact report. The less-intensive mitigated negative declaration is an unrealistic route considering the proposal’s size and potential impacts. The two sides also have other possible details to discuss, such as a structured plan for fees from Solargen in lieu of property taxes, from which the state exempts such alternative energy companies from paying. There must be a significant revenue generation if the county is going to afford the infrastructure, resources and services to make this work, while company officials have taken the first step on that end by offering an estimated $30 million over the project’s estimated life of 20 to 25 years.
It’s clear there is a lot of work ahead. Supervisors now must show the leadership needed to get it done, and to make it a wise investment for Solargen and the people of this county.
