How strange that the development of many solar array fields has largely become an exercise in massive excavation, grading and stormwater management. This is ironic when we consider that such projects carry the “sustainable” tag. Yet there is a better way. Such terrains can be developed with minimal disturbance to the site footprint, within an existing regulatory framework and with less impact to sensitive environmental features.
Officially launched in January after years of development, a new CLEAN (feed-in tariff) program from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (the city’s municipal electric utility) promises 100 MW of new local renewable energy by 2016. In absolute size, the program will be among the largest CLEAN programs in the U.S., but compared to the siz