It seems like all environmentalists are in agreement when it comes to the benefits of solar energy. But when these benefits come at a cost to local wildlife – the group can faction. And so we have it in California, where two large-scale solar energy projects are facing delays, partially caused by the threat they pose to desert flora and fauna.

According to the L.A. Times, Stirling Energy Systems and BrightSource Energy aren’t the only two companies eager to cover the desert with PV panels. Many companies are racing to California, wanting

to finalize their permits and break ground by the end of next year, which would qualify them to obtain some of the $15 billion in federal stimulus funds designated for renewable energy projects. At stake is the creation of 48,000 jobs and more than 5,300 megawatts of new energy, enough to power almost 1.8 million homes.

While legislators such as Gov. Schwarzenegger and U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar have started working on expediting the slow permitting process that plagues the state, less political will has been thrown at the issue of threatened wildlife. A coalition of citizens and environmental groups are mobilizing to protect species such as tortoises, flat-tailed horned lizards, certain cacti, and big-horned sheep. The conservationists aren’t against renewable energy, but they are when they believe it is put in the wrong place. Smart siting is key, they say, when it comes to harnessing the sun. And scaling solar energy in California will be instrumental in job growth and reaching the state’s 2020 renewable energy target.

We’ll be sure to follow the development of Ivanpah & Solar Two over the coming months. These two facilities are a microcosm of the land vs. clean energy debate, a conflict that will only become more common as we build out wind and solar across the U.S. Both sides of the debate have strong points. Let’s just hope we are smart enough to find a way embrace renewable energy without destroying our land and biodiversity.