Navigating the Complex Landscape of Energy Storage Permitting

The Ohio Northern University Institute for Civics and Public Policy (ICAPP) recently completed their annual Northern Poll, with a special focus on public opinion about zoning issues, including the development of solar farms. This October 2025 poll surveyed 1,638 Ohio adults from October 7 through October 13. The margin of error for this research project ranges from 3.1% to 5.1%, depending on the question.  

Along with general support for or opposition to the development of solar farms, respondents were also asked their opinions about the specific economic, environmental, and quality of life impact of solar farms. ICAPP Fellow Nataleigh Hartman completed a detailed analysis regarding the attitudes of Ohioans on solar farms and their various impacts. 

Ohioans Favor Solar Farms

In general, solar farms are quite popular among Ohioans, with a clear majority expressing support for solar development. Overall, 55% of respondents are in favor of solar farms, with only 19% who oppose. Of the 55% who support solar farms, 25% strongly support and 30% somewhat support them. Of the respondents who indicated opposition, only 8% strongly oppose with 11% stating they somewhat oppose solar farms. Subtracting opposition from support yields net positivity, which is +36 in this case. Twenty-five percent of respondents neither supported nor opposed. 

Support for solar farms varies by political identity. Respondents who identified as “Very Liberal” showed a +75 favorability rating, those identifying as “Somewhat Liberal” showed a +65 favorability rating. The responses from those identifying as “Very Conservative” actually showed a -10 rating, meaning those identifying as very conservative are less likely to support solar farm development. Overall support is somewhat lower in rural areas (+18), than in either suburban areas (+47), or urban areas (+53), although overall support is positive regardless of the area. 

“Ohioans who identify as very conservative are far less likely to support solar farms”

    - Nataleigh Hartman, ICAPP Fellow 

Economic Impact

Ohioans responded favorably when asked about the economic impact of solar farms, showing a net positivity rating of +37. Once again, opinions vary by political identity. Those identifying as “Very Liberal” showed a +67 favorability rating, with “Somewhat Liberal” showing +63 rating, while “Very Conservative” showed a rating of -7. This indicates that those identifying as very conservative are less likely to perceive economic benefits from solar farms. No other differences in opinions on the economic impact of solar farms were detected between other demographic groups.

“More Ohioans expect economic benefits from solar farms than drawbacks.”

      -    Nataleigh Hartman, ICAPP Fellow 

Environmental Impact

The net positivity rating for the environmental impact of solar farms was +36. This suggests that Ohioans expect positive environmental impacts to come from solar farm development. However, views of the environmental impact of solar farms were divided more sharply across political groups. Those identifying as “Very Liberal” gave environmental impact a +75 rating, “Somewhat Liberal” reported a +65 rating, while “Very Conservative” respondents rated environmental impact at -10. This shows that conservatives are less likely to perceive a positive environmental impact resulting from development of solar farms. 

“Despite this divide between political ideologies, most Ohioans believe solar farms provide environmental benefits overall.”

    - Nataleigh Hartman, ICAPP Fellow 

Quality of Life Impact

Ohioans once again responded positively when asked about solar farms' impact on quality of life. The overall net positivity rating for this impact was +36. This indicates that Ohioans generally believe solar farms contribute positively to the quality of life in their community. Once again, responses were split by political identification. Those identifying as “Very Liberal” rated +70, “Somewhat Liberal” +62, while “Very Conservative” reported a -5 rating. 

“Ohioans believe that solar farms make a positive contribution to the quality of life”

    - Nataleigh Hartman, ICAPP Fellow 

Conclusion

Across every measured category (economic, environmental, and quality of life), Ohioans view solar farms positively. The data show strong support for solar farms (overall net positivity rating of +36), with a consistent trend of opposition by those rating themselves as “strongly conservative”.

Ohio Northern University Institute for Civics and Public Policy | https://www.onu.edu/ICAPP

DNV, the independent energy expert and assurance provider, acted as market advisor to support Atlas Renewable Energy in securing USD 475 million in financing for the Copiapó hybrid solar and battery storage project in Chile. The financing was arranged with a consortium of leading financial institutions including BBVA, BCI, Crédit Agricole CIB (CACIB), Natixis CIB, SMBC, and Société Générale.

Located in Chile’s Atacama Region, Copiapó combines 357 MWp of solar capacity with a 320 MW / 1.28 GWh battery system capable of providing four hours of storage. The project will supply clean energy equivalent to 750 GWh per year to CAP Group subsidiaries – CMP and Aguas CAP (part of Chile’s leading steel and mining conglomerate) – under two long-term 15-year power purchase agreements (PPAs). By delivering reliable, 24/7 renewable power, Copiapó will help decarbonize Chile’s steel and mining sectors, among the nation’s largest energy consumers.

DNV helped de-risk the project’s complex revenue structure for lenders. The scope included market due diligence, review of the power purchase agreements, and battery revenue-stacking and dispatch-optimization analysis to demonstrate long-term bankability. This independent validation strengthened lender confidence and supported the achievement of highly competitive financing terms.

“Chile is showing what the next chapter of the energy transition looks like,” said Santiago Blanco, Executive Vice President and Regional Director for Latin America, Energy Systems at DNV. “Projects like Copiapó thrive because the country has combined exceptional natural resources — including world-class solar irradiance to a domestic lithium industry — with strong public support and clear, long-term policy signals. This combination creates the conditions for large-scale solar-plus-storage projects to deliver reliable, clean power to industry and serve as a model for other nations to follow.”

“The Copiapó project reflects Chile’s growing capability to pair renewable generation with storage and supply clean energy to key industrial sectors,” said [Esteban Uauy, Global Head of Project Finance at Atlas Renewable Energy]. “DNV’s support helped reinforce lender confidence and highlight the project’s strengths in a rapidly evolving market. Together, we’re demonstrating how collaboration and innovation can accelerate the region’s energy transition.”

This transaction marks a milestone in a record year for Atlas Renewable Energy in Chile, bringing its total project financings closed in the last 13 months to over USD 1.2 billion. The company, an international renewable energy solutions provider with more than 8.4 GW in its portfolio, develops, finances, builds and operates clean-energy projects across Latin America, including 1.5 GW of contracted capacity in Chile.

Atlas currently operates three large-scale solar plants – Javiera (Atacama), Quilapilún (Metropolitan Region), and Sol del Desierto (Antofagasta) – as well as BESS del Desierto, the country’s first large-scale stand-alone storage project. Together with Copiapó, these facilities underscore Chile’s emergence as one of the world’s most advanced clean-energy markets. With more than 70% of its power generation already renewable and an 80% target set for 2030, the country is demonstrating how ambitious policy, investor confidence, and technological innovation can align to accelerate decarbonization and inspire similar progress across Latin America and beyond.

DNV | www.dnv.com

Ocean Winds, a joint venture between Portugal's EDP Renewables and France's Engie, has won seabed lease rights to build a 1.5 gigawatt floating wind farm in the Celtic Sea off the coast of Wales and South West England, Britain's Crown Estate said on Wednesday.

Britain is aiming to largely decarbonise its electricity sector by 2030 to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and drive down cost, and is seeking to increase offshore wind capacity to 43-50 gigawatts (GW) by the end of the decade, from around 16 GW at present.

“Floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea will drive growth across Wales and the South West, create thousands of skilled jobs in places like Port Talbot and Bristol, bolster our energy security, and power industrial renewal,” Britain’s energy secretary Ed Miliband said in a statement.

Ocean Winds will pay 350 pounds ($468.55) per megawatt per year for the lease, Crown Estate said, meaning it will pay 525,000 pounds per year for the sites, excluding VAT.

The lease is the third offered at the site, with Equinor and Gwynt Glas, a joint venture between EDF Renewables UK and ESB, awarded leases earlier this year.

The three projects combined could generate enough electricity to power four million homes and create over 5,000 jobs, the Crown Estate said.

Floating wind projects can be installed in deeper waters than fixed-bottom foundations, harnessing stronger and more continuous wind to generate more power.

The Crown Estate is an independently run commercial business whose profits go to the Treasury and are used as the benchmark for the level of public funding for the royal family.

Ocean Winds | https://www.oceanwinds.com/

Envision Energy, a global leader in green technology, and GES (Global Energy Services), a leading Spanish provider of renewable energy engineering and service solutions, have signed a strategic Framework Agreement to advance the large-scale deployment of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and Wind Turbine Generators (WTG) across Spain and Europe. This partnership marks a new milestone in Envision Energy's European strategy, reinforcing its commitment to building a robust engineering and service ecosystem in Spain, one of Europe's key renewable energy markets, and accelerating the region's transition toward a cleaner, more resilient, and digitally driven energy system.

The collaboration covers the entire value chain of BESS and WTG plants, including construction, installation, commissioning, operation, and maintenance, with the shared goal of enhancing efficiency and accelerating the deployment of clean energy infrastructure. Under the agreement, Envision will provide comprehensive training and digital tools to strengthen GES's technical and operational capabilities in BESS and WTG, while GES will leverage Envision's advanced digital platforms to enhance project visibility, streamline order dispatching, and optimize overall execution efficiency. In addition, GES will deliver full engineering support across Balance of Plant (BoP) construction, including grid connection works, as well as transport and installation (T&I) services for both BESS and WTG components. Together, these efforts ensure seamless, end-to-end project delivery and exemplify a new standard for integrated, technology-driven clean energy solutions in Europe.

"Our collaboration with GES goes beyond a business partnership - it reflects a shared vision to build a sustainable energy future through technology, innovation, and trust," said Henry Peng, Senior Vice President and President of Latin America and the European Region at Envision Energy. "By combining Envision's global expertise in AI-powered energy storage and smart wind solutions with GES's strong local resources and engineering capabilities, we aim to build a more robust renewable energy ecosystem and deliver higher-quality, more reliable project execution and long-term service support to the local market. Starting from Spain, we will jointly expand across Europe's growing energy storage and wind sectors, setting a new benchmark for integrated service excellence and advancing Europe's transition toward a clean energy future."

"We are very proud that GES has been selected to support construction activities and provide technical services for the equipment supplied by Envision in Spain, Europe, and Latin America. This partnership enables developers to benefit from the expertise of a strong local company like GES for installation, operation and after-sales service," said José Luis García Donoso, CEO of GES. "Envision's technology is a perfect complement to our strategy of implementing innovative systems that support the sustainability of the power grid and reinforces our commitment to delivering solutions that advance the planet's energy transition."

Envision Energy | https://www.envision-group.com/

The American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) issued the following statement from ACORE President and CEO Ray Long following the House Committee on Natural Resources markup of the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act: 

“ACORE applauds Chairman Bruce Westerman, Congressman Jared Goldman, and the House Natural Resources Committee for advancing the SPEED Act this afternoon. Durable, bipartisan permitting reforms that provide project certainty and speed up energy infrastructure build-out will help to keep the lights on and reduce electricity costs. With less than four years to add the equivalent of 15 New York Cities’ worth of electricity to the grid, it is critical that energy infrastructure projects can move forward quickly. As a compromise is worked through, project-neutral permitting, removing roadblocks to fully permitted projects, and fully funding and staffing permitting agencies will go a long way to addressing our affordability and reliability challenges and improving America’s competitiveness.”

ACORE | http://www.acore.org

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced its plans to reorganize the agency. This decision comes without any authorization from Congress and after a slew of clean energy project cancellations.  

Following the announcement, the BlueGreen Alliance issued a statement from Executive Director Jason Walsh: 

“The Trump administration is turning the DOE inside out to suit the president’s ideological fixations, leaving the department as a casualty of hisculture war on climate and clean energy. This unilateral decision showsTrump is intent on implementing his agenda on a foundation of lost jobs, thwarted innovation, and a complete disregard for the rule of law, whileceding the benefits of the clean energy economy of the present and future to our competitors overseas. While energy costs are soaring and clean energyjobs are lost, DOE will spend the next year moving boxes around and tearing up contracts rather than pursuing real solutions to our energy challenges.” 

BlueGreen Alliance | http://www.bluegreenalliance.org

Encore Renewable Energy, a leading renewable energy developer, hosted an event in partnership with the Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire (CPCNH) to commemorate the Poverty Plains Solar Project. Poverty Plains Solar is a 4.99-megawatt ground-mounted solar energy system that will deliver affordable energy to eleven communities across the state.

The event celebrated the project as solar racking and modules are being installed onsite. The array, developed and owned by Encore Renewable Energy, is transforming a former gravel pit into a source of clean, locally generated electricity for public institutions across the state. 

“New Hampshire has a great deal of potential when it comes to capitalizing on the energy solutions, and Poverty Plains Solar is proof of what is possible,” said Chad Farrell, Founder & co-CEO of Encore Renewable Energy. “From lowering electricity rates, to revitalizing a previously developed gravel pit, this project is contributing to a more resilient and affordable energy future for the Granite State.”

Once operational, the array will deliver electricity bill savings, in the form of cash payments, to participating public entities in eleven CPCNH Member Communities through New Hampshire’s Group Net Metering program. The array will be New Hampshire’s largest solar project at the time of its completion.

“This project is a substantial win for our member communities, producing nearly $5 million in member benefits that will help us to provide lower, more stable electric rates,” added Mark Bolinger, Director of Projects and Programs for CPCNH. “Communities across the state want to take advantage of locally generated renewable energy, and this project is proof that this is possible.”

“Seeing projects like this come together underscores the value solar can deliver to the local community and our customers across the state with affordable power and upgrades to the grid,” offered Ian Murphy, a representative from Eversource Energy.

Encore also celebrated a $20,000 community impact donation to the Warner Beautification Committee at the event, which will support Warner’s safety and aesthetics through botanical and infrastructural improvements. This donation is part of Encore’s newly-established Community Impact Program to support community initiatives with every project they build, and contributes to the company’s broader mission to be a trusted partner for all stakeholders associated with the projects they develop and deliver.

Encore Renewable Energy | encorerenewableenergy.com

Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire | www.communitypowernh.gov