Issue: Economic Impacts

This report includes case studies of farmers, township officials, and county leaders who have navigated the challenges of siting and permitting issues for clean energy projects, and provides a path forward to improve permitting processes, respect landowner rights, and expand rural economic opportunity.

Research with voters across the country points to the best path forward to hold power companies accountable. Messaging was extensively tested via qualitative and survey research, which identifies a clear path forward that focuses on corporate greed, monopolization, and corruption.

From our July 2025 study with The Alliance for Climate Transition (ACT), we found that residents in the US Northeast have little familiarity with Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), but are intrigued by the technology when it is framed around improved electricity reliability and lower utility bills. However, those perceptions are endangered by concerns that BESS may endanger their homes or entail high upfront installation costs.

The United States is one of the largest energy consumers per capita, requiring households to have adequate energy expenditures to keep up with modern demand regardless of financial cost. This paper investigates energy burden, defined as the ratio of household energy expenditures to household income.