U.S. House Tackles Permitting
The US House of Representatives has introduced legislation designed to streamline the permitting process for energy projects. The Lower Energy Costs Act focuses on streamlining permitting reform under the National Environmental Policy Act and increasing American energy production.
The bill is predicted to lower energy prices in the long term by opening up permitting, requiring more oil and gas lease sales, and spurring domestic mining for critical minerals needed for battery and chip creation, instead of reliance on foreign sources. Renewable energy transmission approvals often face costly delays with reviews that take longer than those for other projects. In New England, for example, the region could save up to $20 billion in transmission-related costs and exceed its renewable energy goals with collaboration and proactive planning, according to a report from the Brattle Group. Permitting in PJM faces a similar challenge. A study by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory shows that the cost of interconnecting renewable power projects in PJM is significantly higher than what natural gas-fired generators pay to gain market access.
For more:
https://ecori.org/report-collaboration-planning-needed-to-solve-wind-power-transmission-issues/
