Comment by rconti
6 hours ago
Well also the desert southwest is still relatively sparsely populated, so rooftop solar won't show up as much on a map like this. Plus their power is cheap(er) than CA.
But yeah, you'd expect some bigger utility-scale installations.
Many utility scale solar plants are indeed being built out in the desert. The Antelope Valley and along the 15 corridor in particular, as they have the power distribution lines already in place. However even along 80 you’ll see a few.
They tend to be where high voltage distribution lines leave high demand urban areas, and the land gets cheap enough.
A lot of other places just need some high tension power lines, and it will happen. Permitting for those is a nightmare.
IIRC we are at the point now where the cost of high tension lines is significantly greater than just overbuilding the PV. No need to put all the panels out in the southwest and run wires everywhere, just put 2x, 3x, or whatever you need much closer to where you need it and skip those expensive lines.
There are no open spaces close enough to demand to avoid high tension power lines - at least not without demolishing all the customers houses.