Clean Energy Is Ready. The Grid Needs to Catch Up.
We’re living in a moment of incredible potential. All across the country, solar panels are soaking up the sun, wind turbines are spinning, and communities are saying yes to clean, local power. And we’re barely tapping into what’s possible. In fact, there is more clean, renewable energy waiting in line to connect to the U.S. grid than there is total power, from all sources, currently on the grid. Read that again.
We know the blocker—and have a fix.
Thousands of clean energy installations, already planned and funded, are just sitting in line because our outdated grid can’t handle them yet. It’s called the interconnection queue, and right now, it’s like a traffic jam for clean energy projects.
Here’s the kicker: while there are several reasons for the interconnection queue (permitting, siting, reviews), it’s the lack of transmission capacity that is a top barrier to unleashing these projects and accelerating clean energy deployment in 2025. The fix? We need to build more transmission—the long-distance power lines that carry clean electricity from where it’s made to where it’s needed.
One no-brainer solution: Our cross-country roads can carry more than cars. We can and should build transmission along existing highways, railroads, and other infrastructure corridors. Less permitting and environmental impact in less time. More power. Duh! It’s a no-brainer solution, but it requires public pressure and political will—at every level.
We know what to do. We know how to do it. And people are ready for it.
This isn’t a crisis—it’s a massive opportunity.
The case for transmission reform and unlocking clean energy in America.
Why does the U.S. need to urgently expand our power grid?
Demand is rising: With more electric cars, electric heating, and AI and data centers, our energy use is growing—fast. Clean energy is the cheapest way to meet that demand—if we can connect it in time.
Economic growth: Just like bridges or broadband, transmission lines are infrastructure. They boost local economies, unlock private investment, and support thousands of jobs.
Reliability: More frequent heat waves and extreme weather mean our energy system needs to be more resilient. Clean energy + strong transmission = power that holds up when the grid is under stress.
Cleaner, cheaper power: The faster we connect clean energy, the faster we bring down bills and reduce pollution in every community.
All the bold climate and clean energy promises we’ve been sold—lower energy bills, healthier air, more reliable power, good-paying jobs—depend on these projects actually getting built and connected. Without transmission reform, our vision for a resilient, renewable grid never makes it out of the group chat.
💥 Action pivot! This spring, don’t just stay informed—transform the future.
We can fix this bottleneck. Our low-hanging-fruit ask: elected officials and state regulators should allow and encourage new transmission to be sited along existing highways.
Join our nationwide network of communities who will be slinging emails and phonecalls, scheduling meetings with lawmakers, and engaging our networks through May and June! Join the kickoff party May 5th.
The clean energy future is here—it’s just waiting at the gate.
