The US Department of the Interior (DOI) has recommenced the review of solar, storage and geothermal project applications on federal lands.
This follows a 60-day suspension of all renewable energy authorisations, including leases and rights of way, under President Donald Trump’s administration, reported Reuters.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), a division of the DOI, confirmed the resumption of permitting activities, which include recent approvals for projects like EDF’s 117MW Sapphire solar-storage project in California.
Despite the restart of authorisation activities, the Trump administration’s support for fossil fuels and sceptical stance on renewable energy present ongoing uncertainties for developers.
A DOI spokesperson stated that the DOI “supports a sustainable and responsible all-of-the-above energy approach, which includes oil and gas, coal, geothermal, solar and strategic minerals – all of which may be developed on public lands and subject to free markets”.
A 20 January secretarial order mandates that energy development policies on federal land must not favour renewable energy over hydrocarbon projects.
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By GlobalDataAdditionally, a presidential memorandum has halted onshore and offshore wind development on public lands until a comprehensive assessment of federal wind leasing and permitting practices is completed.
Trump’s withdrawal of the US from the Paris climate agreement and the freezing of federal financial assistance programmes, although contested by 22 states, further complicates the landscape for renewable energy development.
The Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, introduced during the Biden administration, had provided financial support for clean power deployment.
However, Trump’s freeze on disbursements pending a 90-day spending review puts the future of these initiatives, including key tax credits, in jeopardy, the report said.
Nevada, where the BLM controls 80% of the land, could be significantly affected by any reluctance to develop clean power projects on federal land.
Under the Biden administration, efforts were made to open new areas for solar and storage development. The Greenlink West line, approved in September, was set to unlock 4GW of new solar capacity.
The US National Renewable Energy Laboratory has estimated that between 51 and 84GW of renewable energy capacity could be deployed on federal lands by 2035, with 30GW already permitted, assuming continued federal policy support.
