About Changing Perspectives –

“CHANGING PERSPECTIVES on Renewable Energy Development” is an aerial and ground based photographic examination of large-scale renewable energy development in the American West with a long-term goal of expanding this work to a global study.
Sponsored by the Blue Earth Alliance, a 501c3 non-profit organization, this project seeks to foster a clearer understanding of large-scale renewable energy projects and be a constructive pro-active voice for responsible energy development.

CHANGING PERSPECTIVES builds upon the work I began in 2010, “The Evolution of
Ivanpah Solar,” an aerial survey of the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System under construction in the Mojave Desert scheduled for completion in late 2013. Renewable energy development will play an essential role in humankind’s long-term survival and the ultimate viability of our global ecosystem. Utility-scale projects manifest a positive shift away from a society dependent upon coal, petroleum, and nuclear power generation. Yet, such projects frequently raise challenging questions about land and resource use. Finding constructive resolutions to these questions is a crucial element in a successful path toward sustainability.

We are at a critical juncture in the evolution of our species. How we choose to live on Earth in the next few decades, with our ever-growing human population and consumption patterns, will determine not only our prospects for survival, but also the ultimate viability of the global ecosystem. Within this context, the development of renewable energy production is an essential component of any realistic long-term plan for success. Large utility-scale renewable energy projects — those that add significant quantities of power to the electrical grid — are making a compelling physical statement about our collective ability to shift from a society based on coal, petroleum and nuclear energy to one that embraces alternative modes of sustainable energy production. These projects are as essential in our move to national and global sustainability as are conservation and smaller scale distributed energy production.

Most large projects, whether proposed or under construction, are photovoltaic (PV), concentrated solar thermal (CST) or wind projects. Many raise challenging questions about land and resource use, protection of wildlife, and respect for archeological or Native American sacred sites. Local communities may see both positive and negative consequences from such developments. Disparate perspectives about these issues reveal contradictions among different groups within the larger environmental movement, the energy industry, and the general public.

In this context, I initiated The Evolution of Ivanpah Solar in October 2010. Prior to the start of primary construction, I flew over the site of Ivanpah Solar — a large alluvial fan leading to a dry lake basin in the Mojave Desert. When complete in late 2013, the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System (Ivanpah Solar) will be the world’s largest CST power plant. How such projects and their construction are documented greatly impacts how they will be remembered and interpreted. The development of sustainable energy projects in the United States and around the world is in its infancy. By paying attention now, long-term photographic studies have contemporary value and will provide historical perspective.

About Jamey –

Jamey’s work as a photographer spans fine art, documentary and commercial work. A passionate interest in people, world cultures, social and environmental issues are guiding forces in his photography and life. He approaches personal and commissioned work with similar sensitivities: to celebrate the human spirit, seek magic moments of light and expression, and create a sense of balance and clarity within each image. He strives to make photographs with subtle associations that respect viewers sensitivities and their ability to comprehend the abstract.

For twenty-eight years, he has traveled and worked throughout the world for a wide range of national and international clients while continuing to pursue personal projects. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico with his wife, photographer Esha Chiocchio, and their two young children, Zubin and Ciela.

To see more of Changing Perspectives, or any of Jamey’s projects, please log onto his website.

To help him support his project, and to see the other great work Blue Earth Alliance is doing to support photographers who raise awareness about endangered cultures, threatened environments and social concerns through photography., log onto their website.