Active Renewable Projects

Developing Clean Energy on Public Lands

The BLM has received over 100 proposals for utility-scale wind, solar, geothermal, and gen-tie line projects on public land. These projects are in various stages of review or implementation.

Applications for wind energy, and solar energy, and gen-tie projects may be processed and authorized as rights-of-way under Title V of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, and Title 43, Part 2800, of the Code of Federal Regulations. Wind and solar projects are authorized under right-of-way leases within designated leasing areas and are authorized under right-of-way grants in areas outside of designated leasing areas. Geothermal energy projects are processed under the Geothermal Steam Act, as amended, and Title 43, Part 3200, CFR, and are authorized under leases and permits.

The tables below provide a current list of active renewable energy projects as follows:

Additional information can be found by clicking on the project name, or by viewing the public MLRS Reports.

List of Acronyms Used on This Page

BLM Bureau of Land Management
CFR Code of Federal Regulations
DNA Determination of NEPA Adequacy
DR Decision Record
EA Environmental Assessment
EIS Environmental Impact Statement
Gen-Tie Generation Interconnect
MW Megawatt
NOA Notice of Availability
NOI Notice of Intent
ROD Record of Decision

 


Upcoming Lease Sales or Notice of Competitive Offers (as of Oct. 26, 2023)

The BLM offers lands for renewable energy development through competitive lease sales for geothermal or notice of competitive offers for solar. Leases not awarded through one of these methods may become available noncompetitively. This table represents upcoming lease sale auctions or competitive offers.

State Date of Sale/Offer* Project Name Renewable Energy Type
NV-BLM 11/14/23 Upcoming Lease Sale  Geothermal
NV-USFS 2024 TBD Upcoming Lease Sale Geothermal

*Dates are subject to change. Please check the project website for updates.

 


Proposed Renewable Energy Projects In Review (as of Oct. 26, 2023)

Projects must undergo environmental review pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The tables below represent 36 proposed renewable energy projects (26 solar, 3 wind, 4 geothermal, and 3 gen-tie) in either preliminary or NEPA review with the potential of up to 21,728 MW on 475,261 acres and anticipated to receive an agency decision to be approved or denied by 2025.

 

Totals by Energy Type

Energy Type Number of Projects Potential Output (MW) BLM Acres
Solar 26 18673 154,570
Wind 3 2,200 292,564
Geothermal 4 88 1,720
Gen-Tie 3 767 169

 

Projects In Preliminary Review

Before entering formal environmental review under NEPA, proposals for renewable energy projects undergo agency preliminary review. This includes but is not limited to adjudication for completeness and conformance with regulatory requirements, processing prioritization, and development of a cost recovery agreement with applicants.

The following table represents 24 proposed renewable energy projects (18 solar, 2 wind, 1 geothermal, and 3 gen-tie) which are in preliminary review and anticipated to receive an agency decision to be approved or denied by mid-2025. If approved, these proposed projects would represent a combined potential of up to 16,140 MW on 363,394 acres.

The BLM also has received numerous additional proposals which are in various stages of preliminary review and not anticipated to complete the review process until after 2025. These proposals can be found by viewing the public MLRS Reports.

 

State Project Name Energy Type Potential Output (MW) BLM Acres Status
AZ Elisabeth Solar I - 300 MW Solar 300 2,254 Project Planning
AZ Heliogen SR2 -165 NM Solar 165 3,347 Project Planning
AZ Pinyon Solar 200 1,730 Project Planning
AZ Rainbow Valley Gen-Tie 300 121 Project Planning
AZ Ranegras Plains Solar 700 4,770 Project Planning
AZ Socorro Solar 350 3,032 Project Planning
CA East Mesa Solar 650 5,821 Project Planning
CA Easley Solar 650 2,745 Project Planning
CA Lycan Solar 250 6,700 Project Planning
CA Redonda Solar 250 3,481 Project Planning
CA Sapphire Gen-Tie 117 41 Project Planning
CA Vega Solar Gen-Tie 350 7 Peoject Planning
CA Yeagar Solar 400 1,878 Project Planning
NM Afton SEZ Lease Sale Solar 2,663 29,964 Project Planning
NM Shiprock Solar 360 2,000 Project Planning
NV Dodge Flat II Solar 200 1,500 Project Planning
NV Esmeralda Complex (E7) Solar 5,350 62,000 Project Planning
NV Mason Valley Solar 400 2,900 Project Planning
NV Ormat Rincon Exploration Geothermal TBD 1,475 Project Planning
NV Pine Nut Solar 200 1,700 Project Planning
NV Stagecoach Wind 600 50,717 Project Planning
UT Minersville - 600 MW Solar 600 4,836 Project Planning
UT Star Range Solar 600 4,288 Project Planning
WY Jackalope Wind 600 166,087 Project Planning

 

 

Projects In National Environmental Policy Act Review

Once the BLM completes preliminary review activities, projects may continue to the NEPA review process. The following table represents 12 proposed renewable energy projects (8 solar, 3 geothermal, and 1 wind) in NEPA review with the potential of up to 5,588 MW on 111,867 acres and anticipated to receive an agency decision to be approved or denied by 2025.

State Project Name Energy Type Potential Output (MW) BLM Acres Status
AZ Jove Solar 800 4,654 NOI Published 12/7/22
AZ Vulcan Solar 1,050 7,374 NOI Published 6/30/23 
ID Lava Ridge Wind 1,000 75,760 NOA Published Draft EIS 1/20/23
NV Copper Rays Solar 700 5,127 NOI Published 11/14/22 
NV Bonanza  Solar 300 5,133 NOI Published 6/30/23 
NV Dry Lake East  Solar 150 2,000 Draft EA Released 8/25/23 
NV Golden Currant  Solar 400 4,456 NOI Published 4/25/23 
NV Libra  Solar 700 5,778 NOI Published 4/24/23
NV Ormat Cresent Valley Geothermal 40 60 Drafting EA
NV Rough Hat - Clark Solar 400 2,400 NOI Published 10/21/22
NV Star Peak 2 - Humboldt House Geothermal 48 130 Drafting EA
NV Wabuska Geothermal TBD 55 Drafting EA

 


Renewable Energy Projects Approved (as of Oct. 26, 2023)

As part of the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to achieve 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2035 and meet the Energy Act of 2020 goal of permitting 25 gigawatts of renewable energy on public lands by 2025, the BLM has approved the following renewable energy projects with a Record of Decision or Decision Record.

These tables represent 46 projects (16 solar, 10 geothermal, and 20 gen-ties) on approximately 35,058 acres of BLM-managed lands. These projects expect to produce up to 11,236 megawatts of electricity — enough for approximately 3,538,745 homes' electricity use. (Here is an explanation of how this number was calculated.) 

 

Solar Projects Approved (16)

State Project Name Potential Output (MW) BLM Acres Status
AZ Elisabeth Solar I 300 2,254 DNA Completed 9/24/21
DR Executed 9/24/21
Leases Executed 9/16/22
AZ Heliogen SR2 165 3,347 DNA Completed 9/24/21
DR Executed 9/24/21
Leases Executed 4/28/22
AZ Sonoran Solar 260 3,320 EA Released 8/14/21
EA Completed 9/17/21
DR Executed 9/17/21
CA Arica Solar 265 1,355 EA Released 8/6/21
EA Completed 12/20/21
DR Executed 12/20/21
CA Crimson Solar 350 2,600 NOI Publication 3/9/18
NOA Draft EIS 11/1/19
NOA Final EIS 2/24/21
ROD Executed 5/3/21
CA Oberon Solar 500 2,700 EA Released 8/13/21
EA Completed 1/13/22
DR Executed 1/13/22
CA Victory Pass Solar 200 1,310 EA Released 8/6/21
EA Completed 12/20/21
DR Executed 12/20/21
CO Pine Gate - De Tilla Gulch (SEZ) 213 1,064 DNA Completed 12/1/22
DR Executed 12/1/22
Lease Issued 6/30/23
NM Ancient Trails 1 9 EA Released 8/8/22
EA Completed 9/16/22
DR Executed 9/16/22
NM City of Santa Fe 0.5 0.7 EA Released
EA Completed
DR Executed 7/31/23
NV Luning II Solar 70 400 EA Released 9/23/21
EA Completed 12/17/21
DR Executed 12/17/21
NV NV Energy Parcel A - Armagosa SEZ 650 3,775 Lease Issued 9/13/23
NV NV Energy Parcel B - Armagosa SEZ 550 3,451 Lease Issued 9/13/23
NV Townsite Solar 2 19 80 EA Released 8/3/23
EA Completed 9/26/23
DR Executed 9/26/23
NV Yellow Pine Solar 500 3,000 ROW Authorized 1/15/21
UT Minersville Solar 600 4,836 EA Released 4/20/18
EA Completed 7/23/18
DR Executed 7/23/18
Leases Issued 3/11/22
  TOTAL 4,644 33,502  

 

Geothermal Projects Approved (10)

State Project Name Potential Output (MW) BLM Acres Status
CA Ormesa 1 4 15 DNA Released 6/10/22
DNA Completed 9/16/22
DR Executed 9/16/22
NV Baltazor Geothermal 60 84 EA Released 12/1/20
EA Completed 5/21/21
DR Executed 5/21/21
NV Crescent Valley Geothermal TBD 29 DR Executed 3/30/22
NV Dixie Meadows Geothermal 60 206 EA Released 7/18/16
EA Released 1/21/21
EA Completed 11/23/21
DR Executed 11/23/21
NV Gerlach Exploration 0 29 EA Released 8/19/22
EA Completed 10/21/22
DR Executed 10/21/22
NV San Emidio II - North Valley Geothermal 40 130 EA Released 11/27/20
EA Completed 5/21/21
DR Executed 5/21/21
NV Star Peak - Humboldt House Geothermal 20 0 DNA Executed 1/25/22
UT Cape Modern Exploration 0 172 DR Executed 2/12/23
UT Ormat Bailey Mountain Geothermal TBD 62 EA Released 2/22/22
DR Executed 4/29/22
UT Rodatherm Pilot Project 2.5 10 DR Executed 9/11/23
  TOTAL 187 737  

 

Gen-Tie Projects Approved (20)

State Project Name Potential Output (MW) BLM Acres Status
AZ HV Sunrise 150 34 EA Released 3/14/22
DR Executed 5/18/22
AZ Proving Ground (formerly Viktoria Solar) 250 18 DR Executed 1/23/23
CA Bellefield 1,500 4 CX Pending
DR Executed 8/10/22
CA Blythe Mesa 485 78 DNA Completed 1/27/22
DR Executed 1/27/22
ID Moon Crater 301 5.5 DR Executed 6/13/23
NV Big Horn Solar I 300 162 NOI Publication 5/8/20
NOA Draft EIS 3/12/21
NOA Final EIS 6/3/21
ROD Executed 7/14/21
NV Big Horn Solar II 100 156 NOI Publication 5/8/20
NOA Draft EIS 3/12/21
NOA Final EIS 6/3/21
ROD Executed 7/14/21
NV Grass Valley Solar 340 15 DNA Completed 10/20/21
DR Executed 10/20/21
NV Hot Pot Solar 350 1 EA Completed 4/16/21
DR Executed 4/16/21
NV Iron Point II Solar 250 4 EA Completed 4/16/21
DR Executed 4/16/21
NV Tamarack Solar 60 5 DNA Complete 6/9/22
DR Executed 6/9/22
NM Arroyo Solar 300 15 EA Completed 12/11/20
DR Executed 12/11/20
NM La Mesa Solar Interconnect 20 14 DR Executed 12/21/22
NM San Juan Solar 600 135 EA Pending
DR Executed 1/5/22
NM Sunbelt Solar 100 6 CX Pending
DR Executed 6/10/22
UT Hornshadow Solar 250 13 EA Released 9/29/21
EA Completed 12/7/21
DR Executed 12/7/21
UT RC Solar 80 16 DNA Released 10/26/22
DNA Completed 12/2/22
DR Executed 12/2/22
UT Quicksilver Cedar 300 25 EA Released 5/28/21
EA Completed 8/16/21
DR Executed 8/16/21
UT Zion Solar NextEra 80 27 DNA Completed 3/22/21
DR Executed 3/22/21
WY Rock Creek 590 85 DR Executed 3/15/23
  TOTAL 6,406 819