Midwest renewable energy projects face delays due to grid issues

Despite approval, Midwest renewable energy projects face significant delays due to faulty studies, supply chain issues, and costly grid upgrades, experts report.

Kristoffer Tigue reports for Inside Climate News.

In short:

The Saratoga Solar Project in Wisconsin, a 150-megawatt solar farm, faces a three-year delay due to interconnection and supply chain issues.
More than 11,000 renewable energy projects nationwide are waiting to connect to power grids, causing extensive delays despite state-level legislative efforts.
Developers face high costs for grid upgrades, often delaying or canceling projects due to financial and logistical challenges.

Key quote:

“... a grid unprepared to connect clean energy is putting untenable transmission price tags on projects expected to bear the cost of big upgrades on their own.”

— Beth Soholt, executive director at the Clean Grid Alliance

Why this matters:

Delays in connecting renewable energy projects to the grid hinder progress toward state and federal climate goals. The global supply chain crisis has not spared the renewable energy sector, with delays in obtaining critical components like turbines and solar panels. This bottleneck is particularly frustrating for projects that are otherwise ready to go.

insideclimatenews.org

Midwest renewable energy projects face delays due to grid issues

Trump’s cuts have exposed US to ‘cascade’ of El Niño dangers, experts warn

‘Hybrid weapon of war’: Why climate disinformation could be a growing public health threat

New Mexico off track for 2030 greenhouse gas goal, environment official says

Why whales are climate heroes — who also need our protection

As extreme heat worsens, renters are gaining a 'right to cooling'

Alaska Senate candidates rarely mention climate change, but they talk a lot about fish

Conservative climate movement faces a blue wave wipeout

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Pennsylvania health advocates say Trump’s first 100 days in office have caused “100 harms” to local communities

“They're terrorizing these scientists because they want to keep them silent.”

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.