Solar, storage firms press Congress on permitting reform bill

· Energy · United States

More than 300 solar and storage companies urged Congress to pass the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act, warning that outdated federal permitting processes and grid bottlenecks are delaying projects and raising electricity costs. A version of the bill advanced in the Senate this week with a manager's amendment addressing concerns over tribal consultation and FERC authority, but Democrats in both chambers have said they want more changes, and election results have cast doubt on its future. The National Hydropower Association has also backed the package for its hydropower reforms. Permitting overhaul is central to the industry's build-out plans.

Why it matters：Permitting is the gating factor for new generation, storage and transmission, so the bill's fate will shape project pipelines well beyond the solar sector.

Key points

  • More than 300 solar and storage companies signed the push.
  • The bill is S. 5653, the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act.
  • It advanced in the Senate this week with a manager's amendment, but faces Democratic demands and election-related uncertainty.

Sources (original reporting)

More stories from this day