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Climate Change Stories

Renewable Energy Transition

Accelerating a Clean, Green, and Equitable Future

View of several wind turbines on a West Virginia ridge top.
West Virginia wind farm Wind farm turbines situated on a ridge top in the Appalachian mountains of West Virginia. © Kent Mason

How can we speed up the transition to renewable energy?

Our vision is for a clean, green, and equitable energy future. The world needs at least a nine-fold increase in renewable energy production to meet the Paris Agreement climate goals and much more to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. The rapid transition to renewable energy will be good for people and the planet. But the land-use footprint for this buildout will be large because renewable energy infrastructure requires a lot of land—especially onshore wind and large-scale solar installations. This raises the potential for land-use conflicts over renewable energy. We need to go smart to go fast—deploying renewable energy in ways that support goals for climate, conservation, and communities.

Driving the Energy Transition

By delivering innovative strategies grounded in leading science, partnerships, public policy, and market-based approaches, TNC is helping catalyze a rapid renewable energy buildout that safeguards nature and supports an equitable transition for communities.

TNC is currently focusing on the United States, Europe, and India, and piloting strategies in Africa, China, and Latin America. We are working with multilateral institutions and partners around the world to share knowledge and influence commitments, to support a low conflict, low carbon, and community-friendly renewable energy future.

Aerial photo of solar panels in India.
© TNC

Global Renewables Watch

Global Renewables Watch will be a regularly updated atlas of utility-scale solar and wind installations around the world.

Check out this upcoming tool

Identifying the Best Places for Renewable Energy

  • Map of the Site Renewables Right tool's wildlife layers in the central U.S.

    Site Renewables Right

    To help accelerate the deployment of wind and solar energy in a way that helps people and nature thrive, The Nature Conservancy is providing the award-winning Site Renewables Right map. See the Science

  • Photo of a woman in India working on a solar panel in her village.

    SiteRight in India

    Advancing the rapid deployment of renewable energy in India to meet rising energy demand while mitigating climate change. See SiteRight in India

  • A wind turbine stands amid a foggy landscape.

    Building Europe's Renewable Energy Future

    Europe has set the goal of being the first climate neutral continent. TNC is working to turn decarbonization commitments into renewable acceleration plans for countries across Europe that also bring benefits for nature and people. Take a Look at the Future

Planning for a Clean and Green Future

  • Two people in hard hats look at solar panels.

    Power of Place: Net-Zero Strategies for Energy Planners and Policymakers

    Power of Place-National lays out a vision and recommendations that steer energy planners and policymakers towards thoughtful net-zero strategies that benefit climate, conservation and communities. See our Power of Place - National Report

  • Aerial view of solar array.

    Clean Energy on Mines and Brownfields

    Mining the Sun, a report by TNC, suggests that siting clean energy infrastructure on degraded lands like mining sites, landfills and brownfields can be a win-win solution for climate, conservation and communities. Explore the Mining the Sun Report.

  • Photo of a man holding a hardhat standing to the right of a large array of newly installed solar panels.

    Clean Energy Solutions that Protect People and Nature in the West

    Power of Place-West is TNC's study that shows high electrification is the best path for meeting climate and land conservation goals. See the Opportunities of Renewable Power in the U.S. West

  • Photo of wind turbines at sunset.

    Global Clean Energy Potential Tool

    Converted lands can provide lower-conflict solutions for new renewable energy installations. TNC’s interactive tool shows how. See How We Can Meet Global Clean Energy Goals While Protecting Natural Lands

  • Aerial view of a field of solar panels in a wide, green landscape.

    A Blueprint for North Macedonia

    The Western Balkan country is quickly leaving its coal-powered past behind. TNC research has identified twice the land needed to meet the country’s electricity demand by prioritizing development in brownfields and degraded and converted lands. Learn How We're Accelerating the Transition

Advancing Policies and Markets for Renewables

  • Photo of dozens of offshore wind turbines in the ocean at sunset.

    Six Pathways to a Clean and Green Renewable Energy Buildout

    Accelerating clean energy development is critical—here’s how we do it the right way. See the Six Pathways to a Clean & Green Energy Buildout

  • Photo of a wind turbine in a broad, flat Iowa field, with other turbines in background.

    Beyond Carbon-Free: A Framework for Purpose-Led Renewable Energy

    This report by LevelTen Energy, The Nature Conservancy and the National Audubon Society guides the renewable energy industry toward a sustainable and equitable clean energy transition. Download Beyond Carbon-Free White Paper

Driving Benefits for Communities and Nature

  • Report cover.

    Enabling a Community-Powered Energy Transition

    This study developed with the University of Cambridge Institute of Sustainability Leadership outlines emerging practices for engaging stakeholders and fostering collaboration to ensure the socioeconomic Download the report

  • Photo of solar panels in Nevada.

    Mining the Sun in Nevada and West Virginia

    Nevada and West Virginia, two states with very different identities, are finding themselves on the cutting edge of clean energy opportunity by repurposing former mine lands with solar energy. See the Opportunities for Mining the Sun

  • Electrical engineer woman checking solar photovoltaic panels on the roof of a solar farm.

    Long Island Solar Roadmap

    A new report details how to advance clean energy development on New York's Long Island while safeguarding the places people value most. Follow the Long Island Roadmap

  • An aerial view of a wind turbine in the ocean with the coast of Block Island and Rhode Island in the background.

    A Marine Mapping Tool to Guide Offshore Wind Development

    TNC scientists are mapping offshore waters in the Atlantic to ensure the best data about species are used to make decisions about the ocean. See How Science Can Guide Offshore Wind Development

Saving Rivers and Transitioning from Fossil Fuels

Perspectives

Reports

Science & Tools

Photo of an electric vehicle at a charging station.
An electric car charging in California. © Michael Simons