The U.S. Department of Energy announced on Wednesday that it has selected the Idaho National Laboratory as the site for the first two proposed projects in its Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative, which aims to repurpose DOE-owned land for clean energy generation.
DOE plans for the INL site to host a 300-MW solar-plus-storage project developed by NorthRenew Energy Partners, and a 100-MW solar-plus-storage project developed by Spitfire.
“The two selected developers will now enter into negotiations with DOE to enter into leases for the development of the proposed photovoltaic projects,” the department said in a release. “Before leases are issued, DOE and the applicants will undergo a negotiation process, and DOE may cancel negotiations and rescind the selection for any reason during that time.”
“Working closely with community leaders and private sector partners, we’re cleaning up land once used in our nuclear deterrence programs and deploying the clean energy solutions we need to help save the planet and strengthen our energy independence,” Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in the release.
DOE said that as it pursues the initiative, it has issued requests for qualifications to lease land at four additional sites: the Hanford site in Washington; the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico; the Nevada National Security Site in Nevada; and the Savannah River Site in South Carolina.
The Hanford site is a decommissioned nuclear production complex; the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant is a geological repository for radioactive waste; the Nevada National Security Site is a nuclear test site; and the Savannah River Site is a nuclear materials refinement site.
DOE said that it plans to announce additional site selections this year, and also plans to open subsequent RFQs for the INL site “to solicit additional generation-ready clean energy projects for the land that remains available.”
