The $60 Billion Land Rush Hidden in America’s Energy Transition

The latest interconnection queue data is fascinating. There are over 1,900 GW of proposed projects in the queue, which is double the current Continental US generation capacity. Of the 11,300 projects currently queued up, 90% are solar, wind, and battery storage. While this represents an unprecedented opportunity, here’s the sobering reality: more than 70% will never reach commercial operation.

As an investment firm specializing in renewable energy land acquisitions, we recognize the immense potential and the bottlenecks. Successful projects in this queue represent approximately $600 billion in energy infrastructure investment, translating to $30–60 billion in land value. This isn’t just a green energy story – it’s a massive real estate opportunity hiding in plain sight.

Interconnection Queue Land Opportunity and Geographic Investment Trends

These projects are distributed throughout the US. Notably, nearly half of all U.S. counties are planning some type of solar project. However, 50% of the planned production is concentrated in just 200 of the nation’s 3,244 counties. States like Texas, California, New York, Arizona, Illinois, Oregon, and Indiana are leading the charge.

Managing Delays in Renewable Energy Project Timelines

What’s particularly challenging is the timeline. The average interconnection queue time has grown from less than three years in 2010 to about five years today. In key markets like CAISO, SPP, and PJM, queues greatly exceed this average. As a result, this extended timeline is fundamentally reshaping how we need to think about site control and land rights.

Our team at Renewable Land specializes in solving one of the most critical challenges facing renewable developers today: maintaining viable site control through extended development timelines. We’ve created flexible real estate solutions that adapt to the realities of today’s longer development cycles. For instance, we help developers maintain site control through extended interconnection studies to increase the likelihood of successful project completion.

Optimizing Land Investment for Renewable Energy Project Success

We’ve positioned ourselves at the intersection of real estate and renewable energy because we understand that the future of energy isn’t just about technology – it’s about securing and optimizing the right locations long enough to deliver power to the grid. Historically, we’ve invested in properties leased to projects that are already operating or

under construction. More recently, we’ve developed innovative structures to help developers extend site control in the face of longer project development cycles.

Is your project facing site control challenges due to extended development timelines? If so, let’s discuss how our innovative real estate solutions can help secure your project’s future. With interconnection queues extending beyond five years in key markets like CAISO, SPP, and PJM, having the right real estate partner has never been more critical.

Credit: Brian Potter for his recent research on the interconnection queue.

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