Report: US wind and solar investments could be threatened by $121 billion of stalled permits.
A report released on Monday found that Trump administration policies 'that have stalled permits of renewable energy projects' are putting $121 billion in investment at risk, and slowing the development of 'wind, solar, and storage.capacity required to meet increasing?power demand. Wood Mackenzie's findings highlighted the tension between President Donald Trump’s desire to fast-track energy infrastructure in order to support artificial intelligence and his opposition to renewable energies.
The report stated that it examined?early stage projects valued at $121 Billion that face risks to investment due to delays. The federal government is now paying more attention to a total of 92 gigawatts of renewable energy projects. This would be enough energy to power about 69 million households.
These measures have slowed down the timeline for projects involving federal agencies. Many of these are on private land and still require permits to protect wetlands, wildlife, or 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 dragging its feet in reviewing airspace for wind projects.
The report stated that the federal government is now scrutinizing an additional 32% of early-stage renewables in the U.S.
Congressional Republicans have teamed up with Democrats to push for legislation that would speed up the approval process for large construction projects.
Wood Mackenzie says a bill passed by the House of Representatives in 2013 would accelerate timelines.
In a recent statement, Gaby Ackermann-Logan, a research associate at Wood Mackenzie said, "Permitting is one of the biggest 'barriers' to new project development. Without more coordinated and predictable processes, uncertainty and delays will continue to affect investment decisions and timelines."
Projects on the ground are already feeling the effects of this policy change, along with a withdrawal of federal funding.
Wood Mackenzie reported that in 2025 around 7 GW was cancelled or delayed on federal land. (Reporting and editing by Nichola Grroom)
(source: Reuters)
