Study Reveals Local Permitting Stalls Energy Projects More Than Technical Limits
New York, Friday, 27 February 2026.
New peer-reviewed research confirms that local bureaucratic hurdles, not technology, are the primary force stalling energy infrastructure, prompting 600 organizations to demand immediate Senate action on permitting reform.
Governance as the Primary Bottleneck
Data released today, February 27, 2026, by the Just Energy Transitions & Place Project provides empirical validation for a challenge long cited by industry leaders: bureaucratic processes are outpacing technological solutions as the primary hurdle to energy infrastructure development [1]. The three-year, $500,000 study, funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, concludes that local governance and permitting frameworks—rather than engineering limitations—determine whether projects stall or succeed [1]. Led by researchers from Barry University School of Law and the University of Minnesota, the project analyzed regulatory environments across Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, and Pennsylvania to produce these peer-reviewed findings [1].
The High Stakes of Data Infrastructure
The urgency for reform is being compounded by the exponential energy demands of artificial intelligence and data centers. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) recently estimated that the United States needs to add approximately 85 gigawatts of power annually to keep pace with demand, a target he explicitly linked to the need for permitting reform [3]. This infrastructure push has garnered bipartisan attention; on February 25, Senator Budd and Representative Jake Auchincloss discussed policy actions to scale infrastructure for AI, with Auchincloss noting that hyperscalers are eager to engage in labor agreements if they can secure the necessary permits [3].
Bridging Policy and Local Reality
The disconnect between federal ambition and local execution is the core focus of the new Sloan-funded research. Nadia B. Ahmad, a professor at Barry University and co-lead researcher, emphasized that effective policy cannot ignore land-use realities, stating that “practical, place-based frameworks reduce conflict and delay” [1]. This localized perspective challenges the top-down approach often debated in Washington. While President Trump addressed data center energy needs in his recent State of the Union address and his administration outlined streamlining measures in a July 2025 executive order, the study suggests that without addressing administrative capacity at the state and local levels, federal mandates may struggle to gain traction [1][3][4].