Common Grounds: Clean Energy Everyone Can Agree On

We need more electricity, and new clean power is an efficient way to make more of it, fast. But clean energy needs space to grow. One solution? Put clean energy where other energy is already being produced.

That’s co-location, adding wind turbines and solar panels onto federal land already used for oil and gas. Our research identified millions of acres of suitable land across Western states that could unlock enough energy to power over 100 million homes. Co-location cuts down on the time and paperwork needed to meet regulations, with less harm to nature. Communities that benefitted from fossil fuel production will additionally benefit from wind and solar, with new revenue for schools, parks, and roads, and the potential for new jobs.

This means that co-location gets support across political lines. In fact, when Planet Reimagined first proposed this solution, it seemed so obvious that people said, “Why aren’t we doing that already?” Well, that’s because turning this opportunity into reality requires two things: making the deals work and clearing the policy path. We’re doing both.

Deal-wise, we’re mapping high potential sites and crunching the data to help clean energy producers and oil and gas operators develop good projects.
Policy-wise, we connect the dots—pinpointing what needs to change for authorization and building bipartisan momentum for new rules.

Learn more

Policy

The Co-Location Energy Act

Our Tools

Our Map and Data

A Solution for Everyone

Working with Neighbors and Developers

Press

Partners

Resources

Our Tools

One critical gap: the data needed to make co-location actionable is scattered across silos, from geospatial and environmental records to financial information and infrastructure maps. No one has brought it together… until now.

The Co-Location Mapping Tool turns complex data into clear, actionable intelligence. What once required weeks of sifting through fragmented spreadsheets, GIS layers, and regulatory filings now takes only minutes. In a single interactive map, anyone can identify high-potential oil and gas leases where solar could be added, see if development is feasible, and navigate the process for permits and site approval. Learn how to use it here.

Policy

Planet Reimagined’s research was fundamental to the bipartisan Co-Location Energy Act (H.R. 5639 and S.896), which cuts red tape to make co-location projects easier to build. The bill allows the Interior Secretary to approve renewable energy projects on federal oil and gas land with the existing leaseholder’s consent. It also requires a decision within 180 days on whether existing environmental reviews can be used, helping bring new clean energy online faster. The legislation has Republican and Democratic co-sponsors in the House and Senate, championed by Senators John Curtis and John Hickenlooper, and Representatives Mike Levin and Mike Kennedy.

In a major milestone, the House Committee on Natural Resources reviewed the bill in March 2026. Our Executive Director, Adam Met, provided key testimony during the hearing, which confirmed overwhelming support from both parties.

A Solution for Everyone: Working with Neighbors and Developers

Co-location just makes sense. By using federal and state sites with existing oil and gas activity, we can generate clean energy without stopping current operations or disturbing new land. The benefits are as much about the economy as they are about the environment, increasing revenue for developers and community members by iIncreasing energy production while creating a steady demand for local jobs.

To get genuine feedback from those who have the most at stake, we believe in meeting people where they are—literally. We host informal gatherings at breweries to connect with residents and industry representatives over a pint. We are expanding our conversations to neighborhoods across three states.

By bringing everyone to the table, we turn co-location from a technical policy idea into a practical, community-driven success. This grassroots approach ensures that energy projects aren't just something happening to a town, but are an investment in it.