PV Magazine, a solar industry news site, reports that the U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is getting ready to begin auctioning off Solar Energy Zones, which it defines as areas “well-suited for utility-scale production of solar energy where BLM will prioritize solar energy and associated transmission infrastructure development.” The auctions will begin with two sites in Colorado on October 24, and will likely continue as more areas, including two in California, are designated and auctioned for use in building new solar generation plants.

Advocates of solar energy often point to Superfund sites and other areas that are unsuitable for human habitation as ideal areas for solar energy stations. Given that utility-scale solar power requires very little maintenance and takes up a great deal of space, to find wide open, unused places to install them can be difficult near crowded urban areas. But old garbage dumps, toxic waste disposal centers and other such facilities can prove to be great hosts to solar panels.

The auction of the first Solar Energy Zones will be for 3,705 acres at two sites in Colorado: De Tilla Gulch and Los Mogotes East Solar Energy Zones in the San Luis Valley’s Conejos and Saguache counties. California currently has two Zones: Imperial East and Riverside East, both located in the southeastern portion of the state near the Mexican border.

If you’re looking to find out how solar power can help you and your family, you don’t need to wait for the construction of these plants to experience the benefits of this technology. Instead, call West Coast Solar and schedule a consultation with one of our solar energy experts to discuss what photovoltaic options are available to you today!