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Thousands of New Jobs Soon to Be Created in Mohave County, AZ
That's the word according to highly reliable past and present reports. While the rest of the country still seems to be stalled in a perpetual state of economic suppression or stagnation, there appears to be sporadic pockets of strength emerging throughout the nation, especially in the Western United States. One of these hot pockets which has captured the green energy production spotlight is Mohave County Arizona. A beautiful swath of gods good earth located in the northwestern corner of the state. Historic Route 66 runs right through the heart of this region and it's home to one of seven wonders of the world, the magnificent Grand Canyon which was, and continues to be meticulously carved to perfection for our enjoyment pleasure courtesy of the cool crisp flowing waters of the Colorado River. Approximately 200,000 people call this blossoming desert county home according to the 2007 census. Mohave County is centrally located between several major metropolitan areas, Las Vegas to the north, Phoenix to the east, Los Angeles to the west, and Tucson to the south with seamless access to all points via major interstate arteries. Like most regions of Arizona, plentiful sunshine consistently engulfs and warms Mohave County for an average 300 days out of the calendar year.
- Abundant Sunshine + Abundant Undeveloped Land + Abundant Natural Resources + Solar Panels + Wind Turbines + American Ingenuity = A new lean green natural renewable energy production utopia called Mohave County.
As a valued, academic result of researching this subject, I've developed a rather extensive physical and mental file folder documenting this regions progress in several different areas. Some of which include region defining demographics pertaining to current and future baby boomer migration, real estate trends, community involvement, business trends and cycles etc., and now it seems as if both the domestic and international business community is beginning to discover the same mega potential this region has in regard to solar and wind energy production. It's really a no brainer when you think about it, even for those who are unfamiliar with this area, when they think of Mohave, they envision a vast, sun kissed region conducive to year round outdoor activities and of course, a perfect location for the genesis and evolution of our new clean renewable energy future. So whether you agree or disagree with some of the current administrations ideas or policies, and there certainly are robust arguments to be made on both sides of the isle, with the exception of climate change where the rational thinking jury has already rendered a decision as to the devastating effects which are beginning to materialize on a global scale, I think there is one thing that hopefully we can all agree on. And that is, a rapid implementation and distribution of incentives contained within the stimulus that are designated for companies who are willing to invest significant capitol in one of the most important industries of our time, the ongoing research and development of clean, natural solar and wind energy producing facilities. Environmentally tested and sound facilities which in the long run, if given enough time and private investment capitol, will unequivocally begin to roll back, defuse, and reverse the accumulated and cumulative adverse effects of our dependence on, and excessive usage of fossil fuels over the past decades. After all, I think they are called "fossil fuels" for good reason, right?
So who is creating these jobs ? How many will be created?
Good questions and I'll try to answer both as accurately as possible with the data I've collected.
One company currently going through the final steps in the approval process is Hualapai Valley Solar. Hualapai in conjunction with Fichtner Solar of Germany ( the company who actually designed the project ) are several months into the planning process which will hopefully result in the construction of a 340MW concentrating solar power field project in Mohave County. This is just one of several clean green solar and or wind energy generating facilities in the planning and approval stages destined for Mohave County.
Hualapai Valley Solar has secured 4,000 acres of private land 27 miles north of Kingman and Golden Valley Arizona, and have recently been granted several in a series of approvals needed to proceed including the green light from Planning & Zoning and the Mohave County BOS. Now in the final stages of the process, they have submitted the necessary application to the ACC ( Arizona Corporation Commission ) for what is called a CEC, Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and have also filed the necessary paperwork with the Federal Government to secure a portion of subsidizing funds designated for this type of renewable energy venture. So if and when the ACC grants this certificate to Hualapai Valley Solar, ( and there appears to be no major obstacles ), construction of the much anticipated and welcomed renewable energy solar field and related components could begin as soon as the fourth quarter of 2010. This will be one of, if not the largest renewable energy facility in the U.S.
3 Main components of the solar facility:
- Solar Field - The actual solar collectors. Rows of parabolic shaped mirrors which are specifically designed to capture and collect solar rays.
- Power Block - Hot HTF is transported to this system which is used to boil water resulting in steam generation which is then used to generate the end result, electricity.
- Thermal Energy Storage System - This component stores Hot HTF for later use. It allows electricity to be produced even when the sun is blocked out by natural weather conditions such as clouds etc. or during the nighttime hours when the sun does not shine.
There are however certain stipulations and or conditions attached to this pending approval, one of which states a certain percentage of workers must be hired from within the County of Mohave which I personally think is a good thing. Giving local talent first priority and opportunity to apply for a position in this growing industry is probably the standard by which all projects of this type should be modeled. Then, once the company has secured all necessary approvals and or permits to begin construction of the project which hopefully will be soon, then the hiring process should begin. Even if you are not a Mohave resident, and this is the type of job opportunity you might be interested in applying for, it still might be a good idea inquire as to what requirements must be met in order to be considered. With 1,500 job openings soon to be in the offing, it's possible there may still be open positions available after all local residents who apply for positions are hired. There is no guarantee of a balance of open positions after residents are brought on board but it still might be something to keep an eye on.
As reported in recent press releases and mentioned in the above paragraph, just this one solar facility alone is scheduled to hire 1,500 workers during the construction phase which is estimated to last 2 to 3 years. Then, once constructed, the company will either retain or recruit 100 to 200 permanent workers to maintain and operate the facility once it's up and running. Exactly how many workers will ultimately be hired from Mohave County is uncertain at this time due to the high number of job openings which should be available in the coming months. I would assume a variety of skill sets and skill levels will be considered, but during the initial building stages one would have to assume the main focus will probably be on hiring people who possess some type of construction or related skill.
So, if you are currently unemployed or if this is the type of job you are interested in applying for, keep a close eye on Mohave County and the potential new job listings from this and possibly other renewable energy companies in the near future. Hualapai Valley Solar is just one of several domestic and international companies who are in the planning and approval stages of developing long over due, clean green renewable solar and wind projects in Mohave County Arizona.
There are at least 3 or 4 additional renewable energy companies currently going through the approval process in Mohave County who have either purchased large swaths of land, or are in the process of acquire property to be used for this purpose, and due to this prime sun drenched location which is conducive to igniting this type of blossoming industry of the future, it is difficult if not impossible to estimate how many more domestic and international companies will follow suit. If fruition is the outcome, new job creation in this region could become an ongoing economic stimulus for many years, even decades to come.
- If you are currently unemployed or considering other career paths I hope this was helpful info.