The US faces a delay in reaching its goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050 due to slow approval processes and community resistance towards renewable energy projects. While projections suggest that over 26GW of utility-scale solar capacity will be added to the US grid this year, the reality is that many renewable energy projects are struggling to make it through the approval process. Developers are frustrated with interconnection waiting times that lengthened from two to four years between 2000 and the past decade. Many smaller-scale renewable energy projects require drastic updates to the outdated grid system, which require expensive investments. In addition, supply chain shortages and cost overruns cause further setbacks for approved renewable energy projects. Meanwhile, communities’ fear widespread misinformation and campaigns against renewable energy projects are being promoted, affecting their development in rural areas. Transparency and clear projections of costs and study timelines, and finding ways to meet local voices halfway on project developments may be necessary to address these problems. Tech companies will need to take an interdisciplinary approach to these community and institutional challenges to achieve sustainable grid growth.
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It is important that carbon credit schemes also benefit local communities.
The World Meteorological Organisation has stated that 193 countries have given unanimous backing to a scheme to monitor global greenhouse...
