Reno Gazette-Journal

While Americans know wind and solar energy are clean, they often aren’t aware of the economic success story behind these renewable-energy technologies.

Wind and solar power have economic benefits that reach far and wide. They have become increasingly affordable, attracting billions in private development, and today are both mainstream and reliable energy sources across America.

Nevadans in the eastern part of the state often see something that may at first look to be a mirage: sleek, powerful wind turbines towering over what was once only barren, untapped desert. But the Spring Valley wind farm is as real as the increased revenue to small businesses during the project’s development, the $500,000 in property taxes Spring Valley paid to White Pine County last year and the $275 million in capital investment wind power has attracted to the state so far.

Just west of Las Vegas, the almost 400-megawatt Ivanpah plant is now the world’s largest concentrating solar power plant — and a great example of how smart public policies create new energy infrastructure. The solar Investment Tax Credit, the 1603 Treasury Program and the Bureau of Land Management’s streamlined permitting processes all worked so that 140,000 more homes can use reliable, sustainable and economical solar energy.