New research recommends for states to stop relying on broad ambitions for renewable energy and instead establish a clear pathway for local governments to follow.
The study, published in Energy, Sustainability and Society, evaluated how governance at community, county and state impacts renewable energy adoption in 87 communities with populations below 100,000 people. The study found that 63% of the 87 communities implemented limited renewable energy consumption, which ranged from 5% to 30%. Only four communities (5%) achieved 100% renewable energy consumption. Additionally, 18 communities had a moderate mix of renewable energy consumption, ranging between 5% and 30%.
Across the 87 communities, the researchers found 134 renewable energy plans. Most communities had a comprehensive plan in place, the authors said, and 44 communities had more than one plan.
The research found that while state and county policies provide a supportive framework, successful implementation depends on local efforts.
“Therefore, local governments should engage communities early in the planning process to increase their engagement and facilitate the implementation of renewable energy projects,” the study said. “Additionally, the importance of local involvement in achieving renewable energy targets recommends that future policy development should establish a clear pathway for local governments to follow, rather than relying on broad ambitions without clear implementation strategies.”
(Read: Local opposition threatens clean energy transition)
The researchers identified four significant factors influencing renewable energy consumption:
- Building energy efficiency measures at the community level,
- Sustainable land use promotion at the county level,
- Renewable energy targets, and
- Sustainable land-use frameworks at the state level.
“This study underscores the significance of a multi-level governance approach in facilitating local energy transitions, noting that successful implementation relies on efforts from local governments,” the authors said. “It stresses the need for integrated policy frameworks that synchronize state, county, and local actions to develop supportive policies and regulations for effective land use planning, energy efficiency measures, and community engagement to achieve renewable energy targets more effectively.”
The authors noted the challenges that often arise when state and local governments do not see eye to eye on renewable energy. For example, in states that do not prioritize environmental issues, progressive municipalities can experience residents who easily revert to state jurisdiction, the study said. Additionally, the researchers said the adoption of innovative solutions at the state level can be affected when zoning and planning regulations are often different from one municipality to another.
The study said renewable portfolio standards (RPS) and feed-in tariffs, which are the most common state initiatives for promoting renewable energy, focus on the macro level, often neglecting the micro-level of local communities. For example, “the tension is evident in the state of California, where local communities affected by utility-scale renewable energy projects struggle to have their concerns addressed in state-level frameworks that overlook local impacts and voices,” the study said.
While community energy initiatives have increased at the local level, the researchers said more focus is needed to address spatial planning and economic benefits.
“Traditional land use planning is detached from renewable energy needs, and the literature often focuses on general land use allocation and zoning, such as specific uses and environmental impacts,” the study said.
This detachment causes there to be a lack of comprehensive sustainable plans that specify suitable renewable energy zones, the researchers said, leaving energy projects struggling with permitting processes and community opposition.
(Read: To transition from fossil fuel to solar energy, researchers say ‘rules of the game’ must also shift)
Renewable energy planning requires designing secure, reliable, and cost-efficient systems as well as taking into consideration resource availability, geography, technology, consumer demand, energy variability, environmental impact and infrastructure, the study said. “Therefore, careful evaluation of challenges and trade-offs is necessary to ensure successful planning and local acceptance for successful transitions.”
This finding, the authors said, elaborates on the importance of state-level policies in shaping local action. “Their broad perspective on regional energy planning can support local communities by offering additional resources to address energy shortages and developing energy trading frameworks that balance land conservation with renewable energy goals,” the study said.
(Also read: Yes in my backyard: research rejects ‘NIMBY’ hypothesis for solar opposition)
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.
By submitting this form you agree to pv magazine using your data for the purposes of publishing your comment.
Your personal data will only be disclosed or otherwise transmitted to third parties for the purposes of spam filtering or if this is necessary for technical maintenance of the website. Any other transfer to third parties will not take place unless this is justified on the basis of applicable data protection regulations or if pv magazine is legally obliged to do so.
You may revoke this consent at any time with effect for the future, in which case your personal data will be deleted immediately. Otherwise, your data will be deleted if pv magazine has processed your request or the purpose of data storage is fulfilled.
Further information on data privacy can be found in our Data Protection Policy.