Giving Compass' Take:
- Tina Casey discusses the future of the U.S. wind industry, examining continued opportunities for the use of renewable energy to increase regardless of federal energy policy.
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- Learn more about key issues facing climate justice and how you can help.
- Search our Guide to Good for nonprofits focused on climate justice in your area.
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The U.S. wind industry suffered a devastating blow earlier this year when incoming U.S. President Donald Trump abruptly suspended the federal lease program for offshore wind farms. On land, though, the wind industry continues to take advantage of opportunities to meet the rising demand for renewable energy.
Barriers Rise Against the U.S. Wind Industry, Offshore and On
While the offshore branch of the U.S. wind industry depends on coastal waters under federal jurisdiction, onshore wind is much less vulnerable to shifts in federal energy policy. Developers can continue to pursue opportunities on private land, and on public lands under state or local ownership, though in some cases federal permits may still apply.
Still, these windows of opportunity are shrinking as state and local policymakers take steps to restrict or stop the construction of new wind and solar farms. The spread of online misinformation about negative health impacts caused by wind farms has also been linked to rising opposition among the general public as well.
The trend is a clear one. Less than 300 local wind ordinances regulating things like the size of wind turbines and how far they must be from homes and other structures were in effect in 2018, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). That number ballooned to 1,853 by 2022, and additional restrictions have followed. “The most common types of ordinances were related to setbacks from structures, roads, and property lines; noise levels; and wind turbine heights,” NREL reported.
The Window of Opportunity Is Still Open
Even under a more restricted scenario, onshore wind farms can continue to play a significant role in the nation’s energy transition. The U.S. has 14 terrawatts (14,000 gigawatts) of technically recoverable onshore wind energy under a restriction-free scenario, according to NREL. That shrinks to just 2 terrawatts if every community in the U.S. increases zoning setbacks and adopts other restrictions. However, NREL anticipates that 2 terrawatts of wind would still be sufficient to decarbonize the U.S. power grid, alongside the nation’s considerable solar resources.
Read the full article about the U.S. wind industry by Tina Casey at Triple Pundit.