The Role of Environmental NGOs in the Renewable Energy–Environmental Interface

Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) play an important role in the interface between business, government and society, including serving as a link between diverse stakeholders, amplifying public visibility, and serving as a watch dog. This research seeks to understand the involvement and experience of environmental NGO (ENGO) staff members in the environmental planning of utility-scale wind and solar projects. We conducted 19 one-hour interviews with individuals representing 13 ENGOs which were located in or had projects within North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Oklahoma, and Texas. We found that, overall, engagement with the renewable energy industry was mixed, with some organizations being very involved and others having limited to no engagement. Participants also shared positive as well as more challenging engagement experiences they have had. Overall, ENGOs see a number of potential opportunities to engage more in renewable energy planning, particularly in collaboration with renewable energy developers, to move renewable energy deployment forward while balancing land use and environmental concerns.