US Names 19 Priority Renewable Energy Projects Proposed For Public Land

The U.S. Interior Department said Tuesday it has selected 19 solar, wind and geothermal-power projects proposed for public land as priority projects that could receive construction permits by the end of this year.

The projects include three large solar-power facilities being developed by NextEra Energy Inc. (NEE), First Solar Inc. (FSLR) and Solar Millennium AG ( S2M.XE), two large wind-power projects being developed by Iberdrola Renovables S.A. (IBR.MC, IRVDY) and privately held Pattern Energy, and geothermal power projects being developed by Ormat Technologies Inc. (ORA), privately held Gradient Resources and other companies.

If all 19 projects are built, they could produce more than 4,000 megawatts of electricity, according to Interior Department's Bureau of Land Management, which issues permits for construction on public land.

The projects are part of the Obama administration's efforts to diversify U.S. energy resources "in an environmentally responsible manner," the BLM said in a statement.

One megawatt of renewable energy can serve between 200 and 750 homes.

-By Cassandra Sweet, Dow Jones Newswires; 415-439-6468; cassandra.sweet@ dowjones.com