The Least-Conflict Solar Siting Project poses the question: Where can utility-scale solar be developed in the Columbia Plateau region while also ensuring that important natural habitat, productive farmlands and ranchlands, and tribal rights and cultural resources are protected?
To do this, the Washington State University Energy Program is leading a voluntary, collaborative, non-regulatory effort that engages relevant stakeholders, tribes, and key agencies in a conversation and process to identify least-conflict areas for utility-scale solar development. The intent is to reduce land use conflicts and minimize negative impacts to natural and working lands while increasing solar renewable energy production. The project will make relevant spatial data available to the public, create maps highlighting the least-conflict areas in the region, and produce a final report by June 30, 2023.
Learn more: https://www.energy.wsu.edu/renewableenergy/LeastConflictSolar.aspx