As We See It

In the summer inferno, solar power news is refreshing

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The rooftop of Mandalay Bay will soon be a 6.2-megawatt solar array.

Last week was a big one for the sun in Nevada. The same day the heat peaked at 114 in Las Vegas, there were three headlines about solar power.

MGM Resorts International announced that the rooftop of Mandalay Bay will soon be a 6.2-megawatt solar array. That’s enough juice to power 1,000 homes, or 20 percent of the resort.

Near Reno, 137 acres are slated for an 18-megawatt solar plant that will power a major data center. Apple is behind both projects, and the company says the new plant will give the greater power grid a bump of clean energy.

The “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign could get even more fabulous if county commissioners can agree about whether a grove of “solar trees” will deter tourists from taking photos with the landmark. The proposal by local nonprofits Green Chips and the Clean Energy Project includes a trio of 25-foot faux trees equipped with a dozen solar panels each. In addition to powering the iconic sign, they’d be painted blue to match.

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