#3: Environmental News Article

I have chosen to debate the issue of renewable energy sources in the United States and our ever increasing reliability on solar and wind power. The article I will be referencing in this blog is from L.A. Times and is called, Trump administration says it will approve largest U.S. solar farm. It is about the Gemini project that is occurring just outside of Las Vegas, Nevada, and consists of 7,100 acres and 690 megawatts being produced. This project like many others before it is being funded privately by Warren Buffet’s NV Energy and will cost around one billion dollars. This solar farm will be the largest in the United States trumping southern California’s 579 megawatt plant on the border of Los Angeles and Kern county. The Gemini project will also have a 380 megawatt Lithium-Ion battery storage facility for power use after dark, one of the largest of its kind. The importance of this transition to renewable energy sources like these large solar plants is nearly immeasurable. However, President Trump has attempted to lift some of the heavy regulations on the fossil fuel power generation industry and denied the mainstream climate science that has been conducted. Even though the President has not been all for these new solar energy plants by putting taxes on imported solar panels, the Interior Department, who were appointed by President Trump, have aided many plants like the Gemini project move to completion. I think all of this is important because with the effects of greenhouse gases generated by burning of fossil fuels has been becoming increasingly noticeable and the energy generation companies account for twenty-eight percent of the total emissions as of 2017. (WC: 282)