Assessing the Potential for Renewable Energy Development on DOE Legacy Management Lands

This report represents an initial activity for the Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Legacy Management (LM) to identify and evaluate renewable energy resources on LM-managed federal lands. Within DOE LM's long-term surveillance and maintenance role, a key function is the establishment of environmentally sound future land uses by evaluating potential land reuse options. To supportconsideration of renewable energy power development as a land reuse option task, DOE LM and DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) established a partnership to conduct an assessment of renewable energy resources on LM lands in the United States. The LM/NREL team used geographic information system (GIS) data to analyze and assess the potential for concentrating solar power (CSP),photovoltaics (PV), and wind power generation on LM lands. GIS screening criteria developed with industry from previous studies for the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service were applied to produce tables prioritized by renewable resource potential for all federal lands provided by LM. A principal objective was to gauge the renewable industry's interest in pursuing renewablepower development on LM Lands. This assessment report provides DOE LM with information to consider when assessing alternatives of land reuse options for current and future LM lands.