The Clinic has officially published its new report,
A University-Based Clinical Approach to Renewable Energy Facility Siting in the United States, by Lawrence Susskind, Jungwoo Chun, David Beron, Anushree Chaudhuri, and Sanjana Paul for the MIT Renewable Energy Clinic.
This report explores the growing challenges of renewable energy siting across the U.S., including rising local opposition and the limitations of current permitting processes. It introduces a university-led clinical model grounded in Environmental Collaboration and Conflict Resolution (ECCR) to improve both the efficiency and fairness of siting decisions by centering stakeholder engagement and energy justice.
Some key findings:
Over 225 local restrictions across 35 states highlight increasing resistance to renewable energy development
Current siting processes often overlook procedural, distributional, and recognitional justice
Large-scale projects are frequently concentrated in rural or under-resourced communities
Mediated, case-by-case collaboration can reduce conflict and lead to more durable outcomes
University-based clinics can serve as neutral conveners to facilitate stakeholder dialogue
A “go slow to go fast” approach can ultimately shorten timelines by avoiding costly delays and litigation
Read the full report below: