Harnessing the sun

Thursday, May 28, 2009 | 2:07 a.m.

President Barack Obama could not have done better than to choose Nellis Air Force Base on Wednesday to announce more than $467 million in new federal funding for solar and geothermal projects.

That funding, which is expected to create thousands of jobs nationwide, will come from the $787 billion economic stimulus package Obama approved in February. It was fitting that Obama was accompanied at Nellis by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., who played a key role in getting Congress to pass the stimulus bill known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Nellis was a smart choice for the announcement because the base is home to the nation’s largest solar photovoltaic array. The White House notes that the installation uses 72,000 solar panels that combine to generate one-fourth of the energy used by the 12,000 people who live and work at Nellis.

“Most importantly, this base serves as a shining example of what’s possible when we harness the power of clean, renewable energy to build a new, firmer foundation for economic growth,” Obama said.

The significant federal investment in renewable energy projects is consistent with Obama’s pledge to clean up the environment while seeking to end the country’s reliance on foreign crude oil.

“Today, projects like the one at Nellis are still the exception to the rule, unfortunately,” he said. “America produces less than 3 percent of our electricity through renewable sources of energy like wind and solar ... We pioneered solar technology, but we’ve fallen behind countries like Germany and Japan in generating it, even though they get less sun than we do. They certainly get less sun than Nevada.”

It is encouraging that Obama, like Reid, recognizes Nevada’s clean energy potential.

Now, it’s Nevada’s turn to step forward and become a dominant player in solar and geothermal energy. To do so will require a coordinated effort involving Nevada’s elected officials, business leaders and institutions of higher education. It’s an opportunity the state can ill afford to pass up.