Report: US wind and solar investments could be threatened by $121 billion in stalled permits

A report released on Monday found that Trump administration policies have slowed permits for renewable energy project, putting $121 billion in investment at risk.

Wood Mackenzie, a research firm in energy, found that President Donald Trump was torn between his desire to accelerate energy infrastructure for artificial intelligence and his opposition to the renewable energy.

The report stated that it examined early-stage projects worth $121 billion which?faced investment risks due delays.

The federal government is now more concerned about a total of 92 gigawatts of renewable energy projects, which would be enough to power approximately 69 million households. This comes after changes made last year, including a directive from the Department of the Interior that all permits for renewable energy must have the approval of senior officials at each stage.

These measures have slowed down the timeline for federally funded projects, especially those on private land, where permits are still required for wildlife, wetlands and access roads.

Wood Mackenzie stated that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers oversees the permitting process in wetland zones. This is the main constraint for private land. The Department of Defense is also slow in reviewing airspace, which has a negative impact on wind projects.

The report stated that the federal government is now scrutinizing an additional?32% (or about 32%) of the early-stage renewable pipeline in the U.S.

Both Republicans and Democrats in Congress have tried to pass legislation that would speed up the approval process for large projects.

Wood Mackenzie says a bill passed last year by the 'House of Representatives' would significantly accelerate timelines.

In a recent statement, Gaby Ackermann-Logan, a Wood Mackenzie research associate, stated that "permitting is one of the biggest barriers to advancing new projects."

Projects on the ground are already feeling the effects of this policy change, along with the withdrawal of federal funding.

Wood Mackenzie reported that in 2025 around 7 GW was canceled or delayed on federal land. (Reporting and editing by Nichola Grroom)

(source: Reuters)