Solar Energy
The San Luis Valley is an alpine desert environment which is conducive to solar energy production. It has the highest per capita concentration of home-based solar energy systems in the United States. There are a number of proposed industrial-scale solar-electric generating facilities which have been built or are under consideration. Colorado law requires that 30% of the power used in the state be generated from renewable sources by 2020. It also requires that 3% of the power generated be used at or near where it is generated, distributed generation. There is an active market in selling or leasing land to be used for solar facilities. In 2007 when SunEdison, a 8.2 megawatt solar photovoltaic plant near the town of Mosca, Colorado, was built it was the largest solar electric facility in the United States. On December 11, 2009, more than 125 people gathered to respond by a proposal by Tessera Solar affiliated with Stirling Energy Systems to install 8,000 40-foot parabolic mirrors on 1,500 acres (6.1 km2) near Saguache, Colorado. At issue was the noise expected to be generated by the numerous stirling engines to be used to position the collectors and the wisdom of industrial solar facilities. The application for a permit was withdrawn on July 11, 2011. There has also been controversy regarding proposed transmission lines over both Poncha and La Veta passes, which would open the door to much more industrial solar development. Opposition to a proposed transmission line has resulted in possible delay in development of solar facilities by Xcel Energy which together with Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association serves the valley.
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