Policy

Permitting Modernization: Accelerating A Clean Energy Transition and Benefitting Nature

Solar panels with wind turbines in the background at sunset.
Permitting Reform The U.S. needs to increase clean energy by 400% to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. We need to reform permitting to develop projects quicker while protecting nature. © adamkaz/Getty Images

To protect nature and tackle climate change, the U.S. needs to rapidly build more clean energy infrastructure and habitat restoration projects. Modernizing permitting processes will allow us to move faster while balancing important conservation and community values.

Why is Permitting Reform Important?

Clean energy projects, transmission infrastructure, habitat restoration, land management, and other important climate and conservation projects have to go through a maze of regulatory requirements and processes at the federal, state and local levels, and it's taking longer than ever before.

The time to complete renewable energy projects has increased to almost four years.  Approval times for major transmission projects can stretch to over a decade, and although habitat restoration and other natural infrastructure projects could proceed faster they can also suffer from delays. These projects are critical to achieving our climate goals, accelerating the clean energy transition and addressing increased wildfire risk, drought, extreme weather and habitat loss. 

TNC’s goal is that the timelines for completing environmental review, permitting and approval for these and other clean energy and restoration projects are reduced by at least 50%. 

An Opportunity to Accelerate Clean Energy

  • Solar panel icon.

    400%

    The U.S. needs to increase renewable energy by 400% to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

  • wind turbine icon.

    2.5

    The U.S. will need at least a 2.5 times expansion of inter-regional transmission to transition to clean energy.

  • government building icon.

    50%

    TNC's goal is to make the delivery of clean energy resources and infrastructure at least 50% faster than it is today.

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Read the Permitting Reform Report

How can we speed the permitting reform process? This report offers expert recommendations for what needs to happen next.

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Family in front of wind turbines.
1470012202 Permitting reform legislation can help the U.S. accelerate progress toward its decarbonization goals, increase American energy security, improve the health of our natural and working lands and position the country to be an innovation leader in clean technologies. © Me 3645 Studio/Getty Images
Energy transmission poles and wires with mountains in the background.
A wooden pole power line (right) and a high-voltage 525 kV One Nevada Line run side by side in Lincoln County, Nevada. One Nevada Line is part of the infrastructure that will bring renewable solar and wind energy to California and other parts of the western power grid. The U.S. needs to significantly expand our inter-regional transmission to bring clean energy to households and communities. © Bridget Bennett

Responsible Permitting Reform Can Help Site and Build Clean Energy

TNC’s work on permitting reform is grounded in the science, analysis, and practical experience we have developed for developing a range of tools and resources to inform policy and practices on siting renewable energy. With careful and coordinated planning and robust community engagement, the U.S. can build clean energy while avoiding most impacts to sensitive lands and habitats. Explore TNC's work on siting renewable energy. 

Learn more about TNC's clean energy siting efforts and research

Power of Place

Power of Place outlines where and how we can cost-effectively use land to deliver clean energy solutions while minimizing impacts to biodiversity and people.

Mining the Sun

The Mining the Sun report tells us the benefits of building clean energy projects on mine lands, brownfields and landfills.

Site Renewables Right

The Site Renewables Right map identifies where renewable energy can be developed while still conserving important wildlife habitats and natural lands.