An anonymous reader shared this report USA Today:
A national analysis by USA TODAY shows local governments are banning green energy faster than building it.
At least 15% of U.S. counties have effectively shut down new utility-scale wind, solar, or both, according to USA TODAY. These restrictions come through outright bans, moratoriums, construction obstacles, and other conditions that make it difficult to build green energy… Over the past decade, approximately 180 counties have completed their first commercial wind We implemented a power generation project. However, over the same period, more than twice as many hindered the development of wind power. And although solar power has become more widely accepted, 2023 marks the first year that nearly as many counties block new solar projects as add their first projects. .
As a result, some areas of the country with the best sources of wind and solar power are now off-limits. Because large-scale solar and wind projects are typically built outside city limits, USA TODAY's analysis focuses on regulation by county-level governments, which have jurisdiction. Some states, including Connecticut, Tennessee, and Vermont, have implemented near-statewide restrictions. While 15% of America's counties may sound like a small portion, this trend has significant consequences, said Jeff, a former four-term Iowa state senator who is now with the Clean Grid Alliance.・Mr. Danielson says. “Wind and solar power development account for 15% of the most productive regions,” he said. “If the answer is 'no' in each county, it will be difficult to achieve our overall goals…”
[T]The number of new wind projects started each year peaked in the early 2010s and has slowed since then, according to inventory data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Wind power generation is expected to increase by 11% from last year's levels by 2025. In the past decade, 183 counties have brought their first wind projects online. But a USA TODAY analysis found that nearly 375 counties effectively blocked new wind power development over the same period. This is nearly as many as the 508 counties in the U.S. that currently have operating wind turbines, out of a total of 3,144 counties.
Of the 116 counties that have banned or blocked utility-scale solar farms, half did so in 2023 alone. This proliferation of failures is unprecedented since green energy technologies became widely accepted…
The article points out that counties sometimes limit the size of solar farms, making it impractical to build them. “Other jurisdictions have some kind of shadow ban. Projects may not be strictly prohibited, but authorities are simply rejecting all green energy plans on a case-by-case basis. is…”
“USA TODAY's findings were supported by a study published in late January by the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. reported that one-third of cases have been canceled and about half have been postponed for more than six months. Zoning issues and community opposition were two of the main reasons. ”
The article also complained that an Ohio farmer “lives in the country and wants to get away from the hustle and bustle. It's like they have a warehouse or a factory attached here.” It is also quoted. Last September, county commissioners banned all new large-scale wind and solar projects.
