Clashes Over BrightSource’s Mojave Desert Solar Project Result in Project Termination

It’s been a turbulent week for solar in California. First, Governor Schwarzenegger rejects legislation that lawmakers have toiled over for the past nine months in favor of his own executive order. Now Oakland, CA-based BrightSource Energy Inc. has shelved its proposal for a controversial 500-megawatt solar thermal plant in a swath of Mojave Desert land known as Broadwell Dry Lake, a picturesque area that also happens to be the habitat of many species of rare wildlife.

Despite backing from Robert Kennedy Jr., BrightSource ultimately conceded to Senator Diane Feinstein’s (D.-California) push to turn the Broadwell area into a national monument and with environmentalists’ concerns over the ecological repercussions of such an enormous industrial project (no matter how green) on pristine, protected land. Despite acrimonious debate earlier this week, BrightSource appears to be taking its loss well.

…BrightSource spokesman Keely Wachs said [Thursday], “We have ceased all activity at the Broadwell site. … We will not build inside of a national monument.” “Our core mission is to protect the environment and reduce carbon emissions,” he added. “We share Sen. Feinstein’s values on this matter.”

Gracious words for a company that was just forced to drop a potentially lucrative project, but conscientious words, too. The winning side accepted their victory in good sportsmanship:

News of the company’s announcement came as a welcomed surprise to environmentalists. “BrightSource should be saluted for their corporate responsibility,” [said David Myers, executive director of the Wildlands Conservancy.] “A major conflict between renewable energy and environmentalists has just evaporated.”

While BrightSource hasn’t completely given up its solar land-prospecting—it has already begun scoping out land elsewhere around the Southern California region—it’s reassuring to see that the company hasn’t turned a blind eye to the green part of “green energy” in its pursuit of profits. I suspect many more renewable energy companies will be tested in a similar manner as clean energy continues to gain traction around the U.S.—if they haven’t already.