So much for the White House dream of solar selling like hotcakes. The first federal auction run by the Bureau of Land Management to sell chances to build solar power projects on public land went completely bust on Thursday.
Nobody showed to bid.
“We did not have any bidders come to the sale, and we did not received any sealed bids on the sale,” BLM spokeswoman Vanessa Lacayo said, Denver Business Journal reported.
The auction was held Thursday in Lakewood, Colo. And even though it was a no-show from those with money — a complete wash-out, waste of time, zero-participation level event — the BLM still has high hopes for solar development and says the lack of bids doesn’t mean the project plans are dead.
“The BLM had received interest in developing the sites, that’s why we moved forward,” Ms. Lacayo said, in the media outlet. “It’s hard to say why we didn’t have any bidders.”
Specifically, the BLM reported the receipt of nine applications and 27 inquiries and expressions of interest from those in the private sector about the possibility of solar project development on the public land. That’s why they went forth with the auction, the BLM said.
“We will evaluate today’s auction as we look at future opportunities to offer lands in Solar Energy Zones for development, both in Colorado and other Western states,” the BLM said, in a statement.
The Obama administration has made alternative energy development, including solar, a cornerstone policy project.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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