The U.S. is experiencing increasing demand for electricity, and renewable energy represents an essential piece of the puzzle to ensure our grid has the power it needs. In recent years, however, we’ve seen an uptick in the opposition to renewable energy development projects across the country.

USA Today reported that, based on their analysis in 2024, 15% of counties nationwide have some sort of county-level regulatory impediment to utility-scale wind and solar energy. However, while 15% can seem like a lot, this means that elsewhere in the remaining 85% of counties are sound, workable ordinances that move renewable energy deployment forward. While the loudest voices of the opposition draw the most attention, it’s important to consider that many individuals want to feel respected and welcomed into the county-level process and express their right to share their opinion.

A county ordinance and permitting process that centers its community and stakeholders can provide an inclusive process that considers all perspectives.

I’ve spent time in these hearings as a consultant helping developers move through the local permitting process as well as an individual involved in community engagement and outreach. I’ve heard the frustration (and anger) from community members. I’ve also seen the stories and heard from community members firsthand about how these projects brought positive economic opportunities to many communities in rural America.

A superintendent from a school district in my state of Oklahoma recently shared how renewable energy in his county helped fund new facilities, additional staff and expanded student resources. I haven’t spent long enough in this industry to become frustrated with the process, but I can see how professionals, who’ve spent a decade or more in the space getting yelled at by community members and leaders, often see state-level regulations as the pathway forward. I’m a firm believer, however, that there’s got to be middle ground. State regulations or review may be the answer in some contexts, it doesn’t have to always be the answer.

State policy is also not always a good thing, as we can see by Senate Bill 52 in Ohio, which created a pathway for counties to block solar projects before they get to the state siting review board. The context of regulations and how they play out in practice is important.

The renewable energy sector needs to figure out how to amplify the supportive community leader voices and connect community leaders to one another.

A survey of those who lived in proximity to solar projects found that the most trusted voices for providing information about renewable energy projects was, first and foremost, people who live near existing projects as well as non-profit energy organizations and community organizations. We need to ensure that local leaders have the capacity to provide accurate and meaningful information to help move renewable energy projects forward and support ordinances that can make this happen.

An example of this empowerment in practice is the National Association of Counties’ formation of the Rural Energy Academy, which is intended to “empower county leaders with the information and support needed to make energy decisions that work best for their communities.” Local officials want better tools to help make permitting decisions, and this is an example of an organization trying to offer this resource.

There is also an opportunity for states to use other states as an example.

Michigan’s recent state siting initiative (Public Act 233 of 2023) allows local jurisdictions to permit renewable energy projects at the local level if they have a siting ordinance which is not more restrictive than state siting standards. If a locality implements a more restrictive ordinance, then a developer can choose to permit the project at the state level with the Public Service Commission. This legislation also creates a financial incentive for both developers and counties to review renewable energy projects at the local level versus having a developer bring their project to the Public Service Commission.

A foil to providing a formal siting process at the state level, Colorado SB 24-212 requires the state to provide technical resources, when requested, to support counties in siting and permitting renewable energy projects, which gives counties a starting place to build their own guidelines. These are two examples of how state policy can support local control, facilitate reasonable local requirements, and provide support or oversight as needed.

The rise in opposition for renewable energy development at the county level is not going away anytime soon, but working with county leadership and other stakeholders to implement reasonable county regulations and permitting processes can help smooth the rocky path ahead.

We need to take community engagement and involvement seriously, and we need to invest more robustly in engagement at all stages. We need to think critically about how we can create a meaningful process which breaks through the noise and distraction of the opposition, and it starts with a sound county framework everyone can work with.