Media Coverage: Our Renewable Energy Siting Research in MassLive
Our recent article in Policy Studies Journal on renewable energy permitting continues to generate interest. Journalist Nicole Williams at MassLive wrote a piece exploring what our research means for Massachusetts specifically.
The coverage builds on the UMass press release from last week and digs into some of the local angles. A few points Williams highlighted that I think are particularly relevant for Bay State readers:
Most renewable energy projects in Massachusetts are permitted locally. The state provides the governance framework, but local boards and commissions exert their own authority over siting decisions (for projects smaller than 25 MW). This creates both opportunities for community input and potential coordination challenges.
Massachusetts is taking steps to address these challenges. The state is implementing an online portal where both developers and local authorities can access permit application materials—a transparency measure that could significantly reduce friction. The state is also implementing a “shot clock” requiring decisions within one year, which our data suggests is achievable: Massachusetts currently averages about 243 days for solar permits.
The core finding from our research remains relevant: permitting isn’t broken, but it is an institutional design problem. Communities face real tradeoffs between speed and participation, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. What matters is making clear-eyed choices about values and designing systems that reflect them.
Thanks to Nicole Williams for the thoughtful coverage, and to my co-author Natalie Baillargeon for her work on this project.
Read the full article:
