TL/DR –
Research has shown a 22.3% increase in the number of counties in the continental US with wind or solar restrictions since 2023, rising from 797 to 975. The changes have not been evenly spread and areas such as the Midwest, Great Plains, Intermountain West, and Southeast have seen the biggest changes. This increase corresponds with seminal events like the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, which increased funding for clean energy infrastructure, and the re-election of President Trump, who has a clear pro-fossil fuel stance.
The terrain of local renewable energy ordinances has seen considerable shifts since our last review in mid-2023. Our latest study indicates substantial modifications across the Lower 48, with an extensive update on our local ordinance database. We delve into these transformations to understand how they impact the renewable energy sector.
Our most recent findings demonstrate a considerable rise in counties with some form of restrictions on wind or solar energy. By the end of 2023, there were 797 counties with such restrictions, a figure that has now swelled to 975. This indicates a significant 22.3% increase in ordinances restricting renewable energy, with some counties even revising their existing laws in the period between our studies.
Interestingly, these changes are not uniformly distributed across the country. Areas like the Midwest, Southeast, and the Great Plains and Intermountain West have seen significant shifts, both in terms of the number of new ordinances and the strictness of these regulations.
These changes can be visualized through our cumulative “Risk of Missing Out” (ROMO) index difference between 2023 and 2026. This does not necessarily imply that states like Indiana or Minnesota have the most stringent restrictions. Instead, they have experienced the most substantial changes in this period. Our comprehensive report provides more in-depth information and allows users to search for individual counties to glean details on ordinances and relevant citations.
Understanding these shifts can be complex. However, two key events warrant attention. The first is the passing of the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, which made substantial funding available for developing clean energy infrastructure, sparking resistance from communities, politics, and the economy. The second is the re-election of President Donald Trump, who openly opposed renewable energy and endorsed the progress of fossil fuels, according to his policy positions and Project 2025. This increased uncertainty and empowered local anti-renewable factions to resist renewable siting.
These changes need to be contextualized. For instance, many counties in Minnesota seem to be imposing challenging barriers to clean energy development based on the ROMO scores. However, after the IRA was passed in 2022, predominantly rural counties started regulating renewable development. Additionally, in 2024, Minnesota allowed the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to partially override local ordinances for large wind and solar energy infrastructure projects, giving the state control over the entire permitting process. Therefore, understanding the impact of these ordinances requires considering state-level policies as well.
With this update, we aim to provide valuable, accessible information to advocates, journalists, researchers, and county board officials. Our goal is to equip stakeholders with crucial data to ensure that the transition to clean energy is consistent with just transition and energy democracy principles. To comprehend the comprehensive impact of the policies and the changes seen in the past few years, refer to our in-depth analysis.
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