Someone Is Losing The War On Renewable Energy, Part Infinity

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The new “American Energy Dominance” policy is purpose-built to throttle down on the two most available, economical, and accessible energy resources in the US — namely, wind and solar power. However, signs of a policy failure are already written on the wind, so to speak, as the demand for renewable energy shows no sign of slowing down.

The First-Ever Utility-Scale Wind Farm In Arkansas

This year’s abrupt shift in federal energy policy brought much grief to renewable energy advocates and investors, particularly in the offshore wind industry. US President Donald Trump has single-handedly pulled the rug out from under a bubbling pipeline of offshore wind farms along the Atlantic coast by deploying the federal government’s authority over offshore lease areas.

A few projects have managed to trickle through the blockade, but others gave up the ghost, the latest example being Invenergy’s decision to cut itself loose from the proposed 2.4-gigawatt Leading Light Wind project off the coast of New Jersey.

The onshore wind industry is in somewhat better shape, though not much better. Earlier this year, the President closed off federal lands to renewable energy developers. A growing web of state and county-based restrictions on wind and solar farms is also blocking the door.

Given those obstacles, the first-ever utility scale wind farm in Arkansas is a breakthrough moment for renewable energy, potentially signaling a fresh wave of growth shortly after — if not before — the current occupant of the White House leaves office as scheduled. On November 18, the Canadian renewable energy developer Cordelio Power announced the start of commercial operations for its Crossover Wind project, a 135-megawatt wind farm in Cross County.

Follow The Money

To be clear, the Crossover wind farm was already underway before the latest round of renewable energy restrictions entered force in Arkansas. Development of the site launched back in 2020 under the umbrella of Vestas North America through its Steelhead Americas branch, and then Cordelio acquired it towards the end of 2023.

Still, Cordelio’s Chief Development Officer, Nick Karambelas, made a point of thanking the Cross County community for its support. “Cordelio is committed to working with local communities within Arkansas to create economic growth and reliable electricity and Crossover marks an important milestone as we advance additional projects across the state,” Karambelas said in a press statement.

“We’re especially thankful for the strong collaboration from Cross County officials, landowners, and the broader community, which has been instrumental in bringing this project to life,” he emphasized.

If money talks — and it does — landowners in Cross County were listening. Collectively, they stand to haul in more than $50 million in lease payments over the lifespan of the project. Local taxpayers will also benefit. The project will pump about $950,000 per year into the coffers of Cross County for the life of the project.

More Renewable Energy For Arkansas

Arkansas lawmakers who voted for new restrictions on renewable energy development may be taking another look at their decision in light of the many dollars contributed to the local economy by the new Crossover wind farm. After all, times are tough. It’s not easy to pass up a new, risk-free, non-polluting source of local revenue.

Once the cash starts flowing from the new Crossover project, taxpayers in neighboring counties may start demanding answers from their elected officials. That remains to be seen, but Cordelio has already laid plans for additional projects across the state, as Karambelas mentioned. As for how many, that information was not released on November 18. However, one hint of things to come is the size of Cordelio’s renewable energy portfolio currently under management and operation in the US and Canada, which totals 1.86 gigawatts. That sounds impressive enough, but it’s a drop in the bucket compared to the company’s future plans for the US alone, with a development pipeline that currently stands at 18 gigawatts.

Cordelio is not the only renewable energy stakeholder to seek opportunities in Arkansas. In August, the Arkansas Times took a deep dive into the pushback against renewable energy in Arkansas, in which it referred to two additional utility-scale wind projects working their way through a maze of restrictions, including the nearly complete, 180-megawatt Nimbus wind farm in Carroll County.

The Nimbus project launched in 2016 under the umbrella of the firm Scout Clean Energy and is expected to begin commercial operations in 2026. When that happens, landowners will begin tapping into a total of $15 million over the life of the project, with another $31.5 million going to Carroll County. For the record, Scout’s development pipeline totals 19 gigawatts, eclipsing its current 1-gigawatt portfolio by a wide margin.

The Americas branch of the leading German firm RWE is behind the other wind farm mentioned by the Arkansas Times. To be located in Searcy County, that project is in the early stages of development, with land leases signed and public engagement underway. As reported by the Arkansas Times, RWE aims to build local support for the project by giving local officials and residents an up-close look at one of its many wind projects in Texas, where landowners and taxpayers are enjoying millions in new revenue.

Regardless of the revenue opportunities, that’s going to be a tough row to hoe. In addition to facing off against anti-wind activists in Arkansas who spent years honing their skills against the on-again, off-again Grain Belt Express, RWE may have to navigate state-based setback restrictions under the new Wind Energy Development Act.

On the other hand, Arkansas Times reporter Phillip Powell notes that RWE and local landowners may be able to weaponize the state’s “Right To Farm” law, which outlines the rights of property owners in regards to revenue-earning opportunities.

More Renewable Energy For The USA

Signs of recovering momentum are also evident in the US solar industry. In one particularly interesting bit of news, earlier today the Virginia-based startup SolaREIT announced that it has shot past the $5 billion project value milestone. The company specializes in helping renewable energy developers acquire the financing to procure sites for their projects. SolaREIT launched in 2020 with a single deal worth just $134,000. The company quickly raced up to the $3 billion mark last year and proceeded to pummel its way through another $2 billion in deals to date, bringing the collective generating capacity of its financed projects to 3 gigawatts.

REIT is industry shorthand for Real Estate Investment Trust, a type of real estate investment firm established in the 1960s to help make financing more accessible to small-scale investors. “SolaREIT’s financing solutions are designed specifically for solar and energy storage developers and asset owners looking to monetize land or lease value, reduce lease costs, or create liquidity for interconnection, equipment, and development expenses,” the company explains.

Hold on to your hats. Despite the partisan political headwinds blowing against renewable energy, SolaREITT CFO/COO Laura Klein does not foresee a hitch in the company’s growth curve. “Reaching this milestone so quickly underscores the strength of our model and the vital role SolaREIT plays in accelerating the nation’s transition to clean energy,” Klein explains.

Photo: The new “American Energy Dominance” plan has failed to stop renewable energy developers from seeking new opportunities in the vast wind and solar resources of the US (screenshot, cropped, courtesy of Cordelio Power).