The same GPS technology that increasingly triangulates our lives is helping scientists study the pronghorn antelope that roam the Carrizo Plain near the 3,500-acre Topaz Solar Farms project, currently under construction in San Luis Obispo County, Calif.

Although Interstate 10 passes right by Desert Center, population 200, most travelers do just that—pass by. But now, once again, outside forces are changing Desert Center. The area’s abundant sunshine and nearby transmission lines have attracted solar power project developers, including the 550-megawatt Desert Sunlight Solar Farm being built by First Solar. As part of its commitment to support local communities, First Solar has dedicated a $350,000 fund to ensure Desert Center residents share in the economic benefits from the project.

First Solar has donated 130 kilowatts of its advanced thin-film photovoltaic solar panels to Kandahar University in Afghanistan to support the university's program of energy independence. Solar power will displace expensive diesel-fired generation for the campus. Here is a news story from Afghanistan with details: