U.S. Energy Projects in Interconnection Queues, by State

By the end of 2023, more than 11,000 energy projects were in interconnection queues in the United States, waiting for a green-light from regional grid operators to proceed with construction. 

This map, sponsored by the National Public Utilities Council, maps out the average age of active energy projects in interconnection queues by state, using data from Berkeley Lab. 

Interconnection Queues, Explained

Interconnection queues are lists of energy projects that have made interconnection requests to their regional grid operators. Once submitted, these requests formally initiate the impact study process that each project goes through before grid connection, forming waiting lists for approval known as interconnection queues. 

In recent years, both the number and generation capacity of queued projects have surged in the United States, along with the length of time spent in queue. 

According to Berkeley Lab, the amount of generation capacity entering queues each year has risen by more than 550% from 2015 to 2023, with average queue duration rising from 3 years to 5 years the same period.  

As a result of the growing backlog, a large proportion of projects ultimately withdraw from queues, leading to only 19% of applications reaching commercial operations. 

The Backlog: Number of Projects and Average Wait Times

Of the 11,000 active projects in U.S. queues at the end of 2023, Texas, California, and Virginia had the most in queue; 1,208, 947, and 743, respectively. 

When looking at the average ages of these projects, all three states hovered around the national average of 34 months (2.83 years), with Texas sporting 28 months, California 33, and Virginia 34. 

Vermont, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Florida, on the other hand, had the highest average queue durations; 54, 49, 47, and 46 months, respectively. 

Average Queue Duration by Project Type

At the end of 2023, more than 95% of the generation capacity in active interconnection queues was for emission-free resources. The table below provides a breakdown. 

Wind projects had the highest wait times at the end of 2023 with an average age of 40 months (3.33 years). Solar projects, on the other hand, made up more than 40% of projects in queue. 

Overall, reducing the time that these renewable energy projects spend in queues can accelerate the transition to a low-carbon energy future. 

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, enhancing data transparency, streamlining approval processes, promoting economic efficiency, and maintaining a reliable grid are some of the ways this growing backlog can be mitigated. 

The Evolution of Energy Employment (2022–2030P)

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), just over half of the 67 million people employed in the global energy industry in 2022 worked in the clean energy sector: 35 million vs. 32 million in fossil fuels. And with the clean energy transition picking up pace, that gap is set to widen. 

In this graphic created in partnership with the National Public Utilities Council, we explore how global energy employment could change by 2030 in a current policy scenario, using projections from the IEA.

The Rise in Clean Energy Employment

The IEA’s current policy scenario is a conservative projection for progress in line with the present trajectory of our energy system. It doesn’t assume that nations will reach their announced goals or that net zero will be achieved by 2050. 

Even within this conservative scenario, the global energy sector is projected to have a net gain of 5.7 million jobs by 2030. Except for the 300,000 jobs added in the oil and gas supply industry, these jobs are all in clean energy.

In a more ambitious scenario, aligned with achieving net zero by 2050, the net gain in jobs is projected to nearly triple to 17 million.

In both scenarios, the global energy industry is poised to create millions of new jobs in the coming years, with the job gains in the clean energy sector significantly outweighing the job losses in the fossil fuel industry.

A People-Centred Transition

With projected growth of this magnitude, the IEA emphasizes that policymakers and industry must support employee transitions from fossil fuels and address skill gaps in emerging industries through education and training.

According to the World Energy Employment report, continued efforts in these areas are crucial to prevent labor shortages and avoid delays in the clean energy transition.