Renewable Energy

Achieving Major Milestones

The BLM has surpassed the goal of permitting 25 gigawatts (GW) of clean energy projects on public lands. As of September 2024, BLM has permitted 69 geothermal, 63 solar, 41 wind, and 42 renewable energy gen-tie projects (transmission lines that cross public lands to connect renewable energy projects that have been developed on private lands to the grid). Combined, these projects have a total capacity of approximately 30 GW of power—enough to power over 12 million homes. Deployment of these clean energy projects is crucial to achieving the Biden Administration’s goal of a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035.

Latest Updates

• On August 29, 2024 the BLM announced its proposed updated Western Solar Plan, designed to ensure efficient and environmentally responsible solar project permitting on public lands across the West. For more information, read our frequently asked questions or visit the ePlanning project page.

• The final Renewable Energy Rule promoting responsible solar and wind energy development on public lands went into effect on July 1, 2024.

Expanding Renewable Energy

Significant portions of BLM public lands have excellent solar, wind, and geothermal energy potential, and the BLM works to provide appropriate sites for environmentally sound development of renewable energy.

The BLM is currently processing 41 utility-scale onshore clean energy projects proposed on public lands in the western United States. This includes solar, wind, and geothermal projects, as well as interconnected gen-tie lines that are vital to clean energy projects proposed on non-federal land. These projects have the combined potential to add 21,125 megawatts of renewable energy to the western electric grid. The BLM is also undertaking the preliminary review of approximately 172 applications for solar and wind development, as well as 81 applications for wind and solar energy testing.

For more information on BLM’s Solar Energy Program, visit https://blmsolar.anl.gov/

For more information on the BLM’s efforts to expand renewable energy use, visit these program pages:

• BLM's National Renewable Energy Strategy
• Active Renewable Energy Projects
• List of BLM Approved Solar Wind Geothermal and Gen-tie Projects