California sites deemed capable of producing more than 18,000 MW of renewable energy are identified in a draft report by the Western Governor’s Association released February 2. The association said the so-called Western Renewable Energy Zones—which the report outlined both in and outside California—are intended to complement ongoing state processes to identify and prioritize renewable zones. The association’s identification of renewable resource zones marks the second effort to spot prime areas for developing wind, solar, geothermal and other renewable energy. Last year, alternative power zones were laid out by a statewide collaboration of public and private stakeholders under California’s Renewable Energy Transmission Initiative. In a draft report from last November, the RETI group identified 14 zones capable of providing a combined 100,000 GWh/year of new renewable resources. Most of them were in Southern California (Circuit, Nov. 7, 2008) The Western Governors Association proposal concludes that there are a potential 10,416 MW of solar thermal resources, 6,513 MW of wind, and 1,434 MW of geothermal in the Golden State. The areas are principally in Southern California and the eastern parts of the state. The qualifying areas do not include biomass prospects at this time. Qualifying renewable zones in the western states, Baja California, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia must fall within certain size parameters. They must be areas with a radius no greater than 100 miles and contain at least 1,500 MW of viable renewable energy potential. They also must be areas not precluded by law from development, such as wilderness areas. The report said that the western U.S., Baja, and two Canadian provinces could produce up to 120,3744 MW of wind power, 56,444 MW of solar thermal juice, 4,396 MW of geothermal power, and 13,266 MW of hydropower, totaling 194,479 MW of alternative power. The governors’ association launched the project last May with the Department of Energy. Public comments on its proposed renewable energy zones will be accepted until March 2.