Washington — The Biden administration announced on Wednesday that it would cut the amount charged to companies in half to build wind and solar projects on federal land, a move designed to promote the development of renewable energy. did.
“Clean energy projects on public land play an important role in reducing our greenhouse gas emissions and reducing family costs,” Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland said in a statement. rice field.
Wind and solar developers have long said that rents and fees for projects on federal land are too high to attract investors. Officials said the new policy would reduce those costs by about 50 percent.
Congressman Mike Levin of the California Democratic Party, who is sponsoring a law to promote renewable energy development, praised the move. “As Americans continue to face worsening climate crises and rising energy bills, it is paramount to strengthen clean energy independence to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy costs,” he said. Said in a statement.
Harland made a presentation during her trip to Las Vegas, where she hosted a renewable energy roundtable with a business group. The Federal Land Management Department will also strengthen its ability to handle more and more applications by wind, solar and geothermal developers by establishing five new offices in the west to review proposed projects. Announced.
The Biden administration is also trying to raise royalty fees charged to oil and gas companies for drilling in federal land and waters, so a decision will be made. Last month, the administration canceled three oil and gas leases off the Gulf of Mexico and off Alaska, urging republican legislators to criticize the new renewable energy policy as harmful to energy-producing countries.
“Weiden’s energy policy is wind, solar and wishful thinking,” Senator John Kennedy, a Republican member of the state of Louisiana, said on the Senate floor Wednesday. “It’s not realistic, and above all, it’s hurting our country. It’s desperately hurting my people in Louisiana.”
President Biden has promised to cut the greenhouse gases produced by the United States by about half by 2030. The law to achieve that has been frozen at Capitol Hill.
As a result, the government is focusing on more limited enforcement actions that may promote clean energy and reduce the use of oil, gas and coal. These combustions produce carbon dioxide and other gases that endanger the planet.
For example, last year the government signaled a green light on two major solar projects on federal land in California, producing enough electricity to power about 1,000 MW and about 132,000 households. Said.
In a report to Congress in April, the Ministry of Interior said it would approve 48 wind, solar and geothermal energy projects with the capacity to produce an estimated 31,827 MW of electricity. Budget cycle for 2025.
Reducing rates and rental fees is a difficult time for the solar industry. Hundreds of new solar projects have been implemented nationwide, according to a Ministry of Commerce investigation into whether Chinese companies are avoiding US tariffs by moving solar panel parts to four countries in Southeast Asia.