Siting

The Issue

Demand for electricity is surging in the US, driven by rising load growth and a rapidly electrifying grid, but new electricity additions are not keeping pace.

Insufficient policymaking resources, discordant stakeholder priorities, and disparate state- and local-level reform efforts are preventing us from building a clean power system as modern and dynamic as our economy.

Our Solution

At The Siting Solutions Project, we recognize there is no silver bullet, or one-size-fits-all policy for clean energy siting; each state’s unique political, social, economic, and environmental conditions shape its ideal policy framework. We work diligently to identify and tailor policies to fit each state’s particular context.

In recent years, several state legislatures have improved renewable energy siting policies — the rules under which large-scale wind, solar, and battery storage projects receive state and local approvals — to allow responsibly designed projects to advance with less red tape.

The best of these policies support projects that capitalize on the reliability, affordability, and environmental benefits of clean energy and incorporate fulsome community input, meaningful economic benefits, and protection of the environment. Restrictive siting policies, on the other hand, are now among the top barriers to affordable, reliable, and clean energy in the United States.

Siting Policy Frameworks by State

Our Work Around the Industry

The Siting Solutions Project at Clean Tomorrow conducts rigorous analysis and stakeholder engagement to identify the most promising siting policies to maximize the benefits clean energy provides — for communities, the environment, and the electric grid. We support a wide variety of stakeholders and state policymakers across the political spectrum. Read more about our findings in our newest insight report – state policy approaches to renewable energy siting.

Siting Solutions Project Insight Report

Updates

Siting Solutions Spotlight: Programmatic Environmental Reviews 

Before shovels hit the ground on any clean energy project or transmission line, developers must navigate a complex web of approvals. At both the state and federal levels, environmental review is a central part of that process. It’s also known for delaying critically needed clean energy projects.  Programmatic review has emerged as a promising tool […]

Learn MoreClick to read Siting Solutions Spotlight: Programmatic Environmental Reviews >
  • Policy Action for a Clean Tomorrow

The Siting Solutions Project Releases First Report Detailing State Policy Approaches to Renewable Energy Siting

The report summarizes all 15 renewable energy siting policy mechanisms used across the continental US as of April 2025, along with policy considerations and detailed state examples.   Demand and Restrictive Local Permitting Drive Policy Change Electricity demand in the US is surging to its fastest pace in decades, driven by the rise of AI, increased […]

Learn MoreClick to read The Siting Solutions Project Releases First Report Detailing State Policy Approaches to Renewable Energy Siting>