National Public Radio has a good overview of the challenges faced in creating a new “green” grid that can transport energy from remote sun- and wind-filled locations.  Excerpt and link:

Wellinghoff says local and state politics can be daunting. “You have to do siting. Where are they going to go? And that’s where you get very contentious,” he says. “In whose backyard are you going to run the line?”

For a power line to cross 10 states, each of those states must approve that siting.

Wellinghoff hopes he’ll soon have the authority to overrule states if they balk. FERC had that power until recently when a federal court took it away, and now the Senate Energy Committee is writing a bill that would give it back to FERC. The bill has strong support from members of Congress who want to see a new grid built quickly.

Full story:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103537250

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