The US Department of Energy (DOE) has selected NextEra Energy Resources Development LLC to begin realty negotiations for a solar and energy storage project at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in New Mexico.
WIPP, a transuranic waste repository, is set to host a project that will provide at least 150 MW of carbon-free electricity to the grid, paired with a 100-MW storage system.
This initiative is part of the DOE's “Cleanup to Clean Energy” program, which facilitates green energy development on DOE land through leasing agreements. The program, launched last year, aims to utilize DOE-controlled sites for renewable energy projects.
As part of this effort, DOE has issued six requests for qualifications to lease land at sites including the Savannah River Site in South Carolina, Hanford Site in Washington, WIPP, and other key locations. Developers have now been selected for all “Cleanup to Clean Energy” sites.
Commenting on the initiative, Andrew Mayock, federal chief sustainability officer in the White House Council on Environmental Quality, stated, “President Biden directed the federal government to use its scale and procurement power, as the nation's largest energy consumer and land manager, to support the growth of America's clean energy industry and clean energy jobs and do so in ways that are good for our taxpayers and our communities.”
