The Chinese Try to Harness the Nevada Sun

[MindMover]

Laughlin, Nev., is a dusty outpost 113 miles southeast of Las Vegas, a town of 7,300 people, 11 casinos, and not much else. With many citizens in dire economic straits and facing foreclosure, Laughlin’s civic leaders had long hoped to attract new businesses. Nothing worked until China’s ENN Group came to town on the arm of U.S. Senator Harry Reid with a plan to build a $5 billion solar energy complex on a barren plot of land on Laughlin’s outskirts.

ENN, based in the northern city of Langfang, is buying 14 square miles of land from Clark County for $4.5 million, less than one-eighth of the $38.6 million assessors told the county the property was worth last year. The company plans to manufacture solar panels on the site and then operate a solar farm generating 700 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 175,000 homes. It says the construction of the complex would put 2,505 people to work. County officials say a statute allows governments to sell property for development at a below-market rate if the project creates jobs.

“On a scale of 1 to 10—10 being the most important—this is an 11,” says Clark County Commissioner Steve Sisolak. “It’s desert and sand and tumbleweeds and dirt out there for miles. This could be an enormous economic boon.” Reid introduced Sisolak to ENN executives after touring the company’s headquarters with a group of senators last year.

The deal comes at a time of escalating tension between the U.S. and China over the solar panel industry, with Washington accusing China of dumping cheap components manufactured with the help of government subsidies in the U.S. According to the Department of Commerce, the number of panels imported to the U.S. from China jumped 247 percent from 2009 to 2011. That’s caused prices to plunge and at least a dozen U.S. solar companies to declare bankruptcy, fire workers, or close plants in the past two years, according to the Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing. Last month, under pressure to curb the unfair trade practices, the Obama administration imposed preliminary tariffs ranging from 2.9 percent to 4.73 percent on some Chinese solar equipment.

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-04-05/the-chinese-try-to-harness-the-nevada-sun?campaign_id=rss_null

=======================================================

Why are USA politicians so willing to sell out America?????.....What is wrong with American companies doing this?????

[RKP5637]

1. USA politicians only see short term solutions, the next election and political

contributions. They practice "robbing Peter to pay Paul."

[msongs]

2. rooftop solar for homes/business NOT corporate whore industrial park solar run by our enemies nt

[parkia00]

8. The Chinese Are Our Enemies?

Dang them! We have them running all over the US of A especially in China towns... and outside of China towns!

"rooftop solar for homes/business"... but then who gonna build those roof top solar systems if not some sort of company?

I'm sure those folks in that small town would prefer to remain in dire economic situation rather than work for a company own by some damn orientals.

[Motown_Johnny]

3. If I had won that $600 million, that would be me... not China

but I would also have a factory to manufacture the solar panels that I sell to myself (my other company) that builds the solar farm.

I figure $150 million would be enough until the solar farm was creating enough revenue to carry both businesses. From there on it is all gravy.

[Kaleva]

4. The military and Native American reservations...

in the South West have hundreds of square miles of land that could be used for solar power generation. You could easily fit a 100 square mile solar plant on Edwards Air Force base alone.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

6. There is a large one going up at China Lake, a Navy base a bit north of Edwards

[Kaleva]

7. The Defense Dept. is aiming for a goal of....

getting at least 25% of its energy needs from renewable sources by the year 2025. It is the nation's largest consumer of energy.

[Kaleva]

5. I'm actually quite thrilled about this even if the Chinese are involved.