Nevada geothermal lease auction overlaps with major solar projects

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is proceeding with an auction of 83 geothermal lease parcels in the Nevada desert, totaling approximately 265,691 acres. This auction has created land-use conflicts with major solar energy developers.

NextEra Energy, a leading solar and wind developer, reported that three of the proposed geothermal parcels overlap roughly 60 percent of its planned 1,000-megawatt Sawtooth Energy Center in Nye County. NextEra previously requested that the BLM “remove, defer or reconfigure” these parcels to avoid foreseeable conflicts, but the agency denied the request in August, citing its mandate to manage public lands for multiple uses.

The BLM stated that if a solar project is approved first, it maintains “senior right,” meaning any subsequent geothermal development must avoid impacting the solar project. Other developers, such as Leeward Renewable Energy, also reported overlaps with the proposed geothermal parcels.

The Trump administration has prioritized geothermal energy as a source of continuous electricity, while solar and wind projects face different permitting trajectories. While a geothermal lease does not grant immediate authority to disturb land, the overlapping claims present significant coordination challenges for future energy infrastructure.