"A coalition of grid companies has fired off a new argument on why green energy advocates should embrace strategic, long-haul, high-voltage transmission lines and why federal regulators need to make that happen.

Zero-carbon goals coming from a cluster of U.S. states, cities, utilities and companies can't be met without more long-distance transmission lines delivering more renewable power, according to the analysis by the WIRES group, advocates for power line expansion. "Transmission must be part of the solution" to the climate challenge, said Larry Gasteiger, executive director of WIRES.

But state and local policies "continue to stymie transmission development" with siting and permitting processes that handicap projects, the report by the ScottMadden Inc. consulting firm said. States want locally sourced renewable energy projects as job creators even when cheaper renewable power could be imported, it added."

Peter Behr reports for EnergyWire January 16, 2020. [2]