NEWS & UPDATES.

The Clinic has officially published its new report, A Preliminary Analysis of State Renewable Energy Siting Policies , prepared by Iselle Barrios, Nicole Doering, and Dr. Jungwoo Chun for the DUSP Center for Renewable Energy and Climate Justice. This report offers the most detailed comparative analysis to date of siting and permitting laws across 12 U.S. states. It explores how state governments are adapting to the demands of large-scale renewable deployment and highlights cr

A recent VerdeXchange feature explores how California policymakers are considering new approaches to streamline renewable energy permitting while still addressing community concerns and environmental protections. California faces significant pressure to rapidly expand clean energy infrastructure in order to meet the state’s climate goals. According to the article, achieving these targets will require major increases in utility-scale solar, battery storage, electric vehicle ch

Despite the urgent need for infrastructure to support clean energy, long-distance electric transmission projects have often been stalled due to a combination of political, legal, and community opposition. How Grid Projects Get Stuck" identifies key challenges such as inadequate community engagement, land rights disputes, uneven distribution of benefits, and resistance from incumbent energy firms. Through four case studies of transmission projects across the U.S., the report h

Check out this op-ed in Recharge , which demonstrates that widespread rejection of renewable energy projects is crippling the industry. Developers have a political problem on their hands—one that starts at the local level and bleeds into statehouses. Coauthors Ayelet Hines and Mike Casey apply time-tested political strategies to what is an inherently political problem. "The clean energy sector needs to adapt outdated permitting tactics to current 'hardball' realities." Source

To accelerate renewable energy buildout in the U.S., some states are shifting to preempt local control over large-scale renewable energy facility siting decisions. Recent policy changes in New York, California, and Michigan consolidate state-level authority to streamline the permitting process. This report analyzes these emerging trends towards state preemption, finding they may accelerate project approval but risk limiting public participation and equitable distribution of c