DO ASK & DO TELL ABOUT THE ARMY’S SUN

Mission-Sensitive Solar: Can We Site Large Arrays On Critical Military Bases?
Jessica Lillian, 17 January 2012 (Solar Industry)

"…The Department of Defense's (DOD) vast landholdings in the Mojave and Colorado deserts in the U.S. Southwest could be prime territory for an enormous amount of solar development, but project developers, investors and other parties eager to explore military properties must also be aware of numerous obstacles unique to this type of land.

"…[T]he DOD commissioned an extensive assessment of the solar potential for nine large military installations in California and Nevada's desert areas. ICF International conducted the research and prepared the report…[T]he findings are impressive: More than 7 GW of solar energy development is ‘technically feasible and financially viable’ on these properties. The hypothetical economic payoff - for project developers and the government alike - is similarly attractive…The federal government could potentially receive approximately $100 million/year in the form of rental payments, reduced-cost power, in-kind considerations or some combination…"

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"However, in order for even a small portion of this 7 GW of solar power to be realized, both the DOD and any solar companies interested in military projects will need to confront the inherent conflict between mission activities and solar power development…[E]xisting installations should be considered irreplaceable, and any degradation of their ability to perform their missions has an impact on both the near- and long-term capabilities of the military to protect and defend the U.S…

"Making matters more difficult is the lack of existing data on conflicts between mission activities and solar development…[T]he likely impact of [large sale] projects remains largely unknown…[C]o-existence concerns can be broadly divided into two categories: ‘spectrum issues’ (e.g., problems with interactions in radio frequency, infrared or visual spectra) and physical/operational mission conflicts…"