Grid Bottlenecks, Permitting Delays, and Other Invisible Risks

Pete Melhuish • April 1, 2021

Clean energy isn’t held back by technology—it’s held back by systems.

Long Wait Times
The rapid growth of renewables is straining existing infrastructure. In the UK, over 600 projects representing 371 GW of capacity are stuck in grid connection queues, with some developers quoted 10–15 year wait times (source: National Grid ESO). In the U.S., interconnection delays have tripled since 2015, with only 21% of projects in queue reaching completion (source: Berkeley Lab, 2023).


Wind Delays
Permitting also remains a significant challenge. According to WindEurope, the average permitting time for new onshore wind in the EU is over 5 years—twice as long as legally required. In Iberia, developers face region-specific requirements and backlogged municipal authorities, slowing even mature projects.


Clean Energy Buildout 
These structural frictions rarely make headlines, but they shape everything. Are we underestimating how much coordination—not just capital—will define the next phase of clean energy buildout?

Beyond Solar and Wind: The Next Frontier in Clean Energy

By Pete Melhuish • April 1, 2021
Clean power needs more than just generation—it needs integration.

Reading Between the Headlines: Real Signals in Energy Policy

By Pete Melhuish • April 1, 2021
The boldest signals in energy don’t always make the news.