Bold reality check: a permitting freeze is stalling hundreds of solar and wind projects across the United States, threatening a major shift in the nation’s clean-energy trajectory.
What’s happening and why it matters
The approval pipeline for solar and wind projects on federal lands has essentially ground to a halt this year. This pause comes as the Trump Administration reverses Biden-era clean-energy policies and signaling a blunt stance against green energy initiatives. Reuters’ analysis of permitting data shows that since January, only one solar project on federal lands has received approval. Notably, no wind or solar project has cleared federal-lands development approval since July, after an order required all such projects on federal lands and waters to receive personal sign-off from Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. At the same time, Interior is framing this shift as ending “preferential treatment for unreliable, subsidy-dependent wind and solar energy.”
A different lens from the past
Under President Joe Biden, the government had approved a number of projects on federal lands — 13 solar and two wind projects, according to Reuters’ review. The current freeze puts more than 500 planned wind and solar ventures at risk, according to Abigail Ross Hopper, CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).
Industry responses and near-term outlook
Analysts from SEIA and Wood Mackenzie note that solar installations in the third quarter showed a strong uptick as developers rush to secure the last remaining investment tax credits, which are being phased out by the current administration. Yet, the broader view remains unsettled due to ongoing permitting uncertainties and forthcoming Treasury guidance on Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) rules, which SEIA and Wood Mackenzie say are still months away.
Impact on capacity and regional prospects
A SEIA analysis of EIA data last month highlighted that political attacks against the United States’ solar and storage sectors threaten as many as 519 projects totaling about 117 gigawatts of capacity. These projects would account for roughly half of all new planned power capacity in the country, with 17 states potentially losing more than half of their planned additions, according to SEIA.
Context and what to watch next
As the policy environment shifts, the industry emphasizes three critical questions: How quickly can permitting actions be clarified and restarted? What are the precise FEOC requirements and when will Treasury guidance land? And how will developers adapt to this regulatory caveat while continuing to pursue tax-advantage opportunities?
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