New Research Finds Local Governance and Permitting - Not Technology - Drive Energy Infrastructure Outcomes
Three-year, $500k Alfred P. Sloan Foundation-funded study releases peer-reviewed findings and practical tools for state and local leaders navigating energy infrastructure delays.
ORLANDO, FL / ACCESS Newswire / February 27, 2026 /The Just Energy Transitions & Place Project, a three-year, $500,000 initiative funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and led by Barry University School of Law with the University of Minnesota, has released peer-reviewed findings that challenge a core assumption in the national energy debate: the biggest barrier to building energy infrastructure is not technology, it is local governance and permitting.
The release comes as U.S. energy infrastructure projects face mounting delays. Drawing on research in Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, and Pennsylvania, the study provides actionable evidence for policymakers and industry leaders seeking to reduce conflict, control costs, and respect local authority.
"The evidence is clear: Local governance now determines whether energy infrastructure projects succeed or stall, " said Nadia B. Ahmad, Professor at Barry University School of Law and co-lead researcher on the project. "Effective policy must respect local authority and land-use realities, and our research shows that practical, place-based frameworks reduce conflict and delay. "
Published in outlets including Oxford University Press, Sustainability, Environmental Law Reporter, Georgia State University Law Review, and Planning & Theory Practice, the research concludes that projects advance more effectively when governance roles are clearly defined, transparent, and respectful of local authority. By contrast, top-down mandates that overlook local land-use, economic, and community realities often generate opposition and delays.
The study finds that permitting clarity and meaningful local engagement now influence project timelines and costs more than technology selection. Streamlined permitting systems reduce conflict, improve investment certainty, and accelerate construction. In addition to its scholarly contributions, the project produced practical implementation tools, including regulatory inventories, comparative case studies, and a statewide energy transition atlas designed to help policymakers, planners, and developers.
"This research is shaping national conversations, " said Pablo Ortiz, Provost of Barry University. "With support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and collaboration across institutions, we are proud that Barry University faculty are producing work that influences policy at the highest levels while remaining grounded in local realities. "
Barry University 's School of Law professor, Nadia Ahmad, and University of Minnesota 's School of Public Affairs professor, Elise Harrington, served as the co-principal investigators within an interdisciplinary team. The team also consisted of Jennifer Baka (Penn State), Ward Lyles (University of Kansas), Uma Outka (University of Kansas), Danielle Stokes (University of Richmond), and Hannah Wiseman (Penn State).
The project 's tools, datasets, and publications are publicly available to support evidence-based approaches to permitting and infrastructure conflict: www.jetplace.org.
About Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation is a not-for-profit, mission-driven grantmaking institution dedicated to improving the welfare of all through the advancement of scientific knowledge. Established in 1934 by Alfred Pritchard Sloan Jr., then-President and Chief Executive Officer of the General Motors Corporation, the Foundation makes grants in four broad areas: direct support of research in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and economics; initiatives to increase the quality, equity, diversity, and inclusiveness of scientific institutions and the science workforce; projects to develop or leverage technology to empower research; and efforts to enhance and deepen public engagement with science and scientists.
CONTACT:
Katherine Doble
kdoble@barry.edu
305-318-0837
SOURCE: Barry University
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