COMMON GROUNDS: Clean Energy Everyone Can Agree On

Co-locating wind and solar energy on existing federal oil and gas land is the bipartisan solution to sourcing land for new energy projects

In 2026, the U.S. faces a high-stakes crossroads on clean energy: federal policy is rolling back incentives while demand for electricity is surging. Co-location—the siting of solar, wind, and geothermal on existing fossil fuel lands—offers a solution that just makes sense.

It’s a non partisan solution for industry, policymakers, and frontline communities. Common Grounds protects new land from being destroyed while creating clean energy and jobs.

“These groups do not commonly agree on things. On this, they do.” - Adam Met

Co-location has the potential to generate enough electricity to power over 100 million US households annually. But, scattered data and unclear policy stands in the way of making that a reality. Common Grounds set out to fix that. Through creating tools that integrate data sets, driving forward policy like the co-location energy act, and engaging with everyone from the public sector to local residents, this initiative is changing the accessibility of clean energy.

Co-Location

Why this approach?

Policy

The Co-Location Energy Act

Our Tools

Our map and current developments

Co-Location

How we’re engaging with local residents

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Co-location

Co-location just makes sense. It focuses on federal land that’s already being leased out for energy production. It doesn’t require existing developments to be removed, reducing conflict in the energy space, nor does it require the demolition of new land, reducing destruction of wild landscapes.

In addition, there are financial and operational benefits for stakeholders at all levels. Additional clean energy production on these existing sites naturally leads to more jobs for local residents and a higher yield of energy and revenue for developers. Because these sites have already been approved and built out for energy production, permitting is quicker and easier, reducing obstacles.

In true Planet Reimagined fashion, before we take action, we do the research. Read our full report here:

Policy

The Colocation Energy Act has made waves, garnering non-partisan support because of its mutually beneficial nature. Supporting both local residents and the private and public sectors, The bill will provide essential clarity on the process for colocating on federal lands, removing obstacles.

This bill has been considered in both the House and the Senate, sponsored by Senators John Curtis an John Hickenlooper, and representatives Levin and Kennedy. In March of 2026, the House Committee on Natural Resources discussed this bill during a hearing at which our executive director, Adam Met, provided testimony. It received overwhelming support.

Unlocking Potential Through Policy and Partnerships

Common Grounds advances co-location through targeted policy engagement, building on bipartisan federal successes to apply at the state level. We partner closely with state trust land offices and policymakers to develop dual-use leasing frameworks and streamline permitting processes clear, turning co-location into a practical, scalable, viable strategy for renewable energy development on state lands.

To establish co-location as a durable solution, Common Grounds forges strong partnerships across industry, civil society, and government. By connecting a diverse array of stakeholders — from fossil fuel operators to renewable developers and public-interest advocates — the initiative builds the shared understanding and alignment needed to move co-location from concept to widespread practice, positioning it as a core element of a just and pragmatic clean energy transition.

A Just Transition: Engaging Energy Communities

Through open-forum feedback sessions and targeted surveys across priority counties, locally tailored storytelling, and replicable benefit models, Common Grounds embeds the voices and priorities of frontline communities.

This research and advocacy includes assessing and providing locally and regionally adapted guidance on community benefit and workforce development frameworks. These ongoing efforts help shift the narrative around clean American-made energy toward a nonpartisan, win-win-win solution for people, economies, and the environment—reducing resistance from operators and communities and demonstrating that renewable projects can deliver meaningful benefits without igniting the flashpoint debate over immediately ending oil and gas activity.

Read the Common Grounds Environmental Justice Brief

A WIN-WIN-WIN

Siting renewable energy facilities on lands leased for fossil fuel extraction will drive investment in energy communities, increase the speed and efficiency of energy production on state and federal managed lands, and ensure that undeveloped public lands remain intact for future generations.

Sustaining Communities
Co-location creates localized employment opportunities in clean energy and creates new funding streams for communities heavily dependent on oil and gas royalties
Leveraging Existing Assets
In addition to qualifying for federal and state energy incentives, developers can save money by tapping into fossil fuel era infrastructure, from access roads to transmission lines
Delivering a Healthier Future
Deploying both small-scale and utility-scale solar installations adjacent to oil and gas operations lays the groundwork for a future without these polluting sources
Building on Previous Work
Because many oil and gas sites have existing rights-of-way, infrastructure, and prior environmental reviews, state and federal land managers can build on this groundwork to expedite co-located renewable energy projects, reducing permitting timelines and avoiding duplicative, site-by-site evaluations
Proactive Planning and Permitting
Proactive planning that formally identifies oil and gas leases with renewable energy potential in state land-use codes and federal resource management plans—and includes them in designated acceptability zones for solar and wind—signals to developers and industry decision-makers that these sites are viable, lower-risk opportunities worth pursuing
Expanding Use
Disturbed lands are ideal sites for co-location projects because they hold reduced value as wild or working lands without significant restoration
Protecting Wild and Working Lands
By siting new solar and wind projects as much as possible on land already disturbed and designated for energy development, more public lands can be left alone
Preventing False Choices
Certain public lands have been prioritized for fossil energy development, even in instances where renewable resources on the same land are more suitable and profitable. By opening a pathway to land-sharing, a forced decision between energy types becomes irrelevant
Maintaining Environmental Protections.
Though co-location can benefit from standardized environmental review processes, it does not necessitate any changes to NEPA

Policy Recommendations

The co-location of renewable energy facilities on oil and gas lease lands can unlock development opportunities with immediate impact. Planet Reimagined is continuing to drive policy conversations at the federal and state level to establish incentives for energy land sharing and co-location.

Explore our policy recommendations in more detail below:

- Proactively plan for renewable energy priority zones by identifying low-impact, high-potential sites
- Streamline permitting for renewable energy projects on oil and gas leases by leveraging existing environmental reviews already completed for those sites, and establishing a clear, consistent permitting pathway to give developers confidence that these locations are viable and actionable options for co-location
- Align financial incentives for co-locating clean energy development with state and federal level environmental goals
- Share revenue from wind and solar projects on public lands with local communities
- Unlock new value on low-producing or non-producing oil and gas sites by creating a pathway to plug and reclaim wells and repurpose the land for renewable energy development.
- Mandate emission cutting measures, including on-site renewables deployment for operational use
- Expand categorical exclusion to include small-scale, on-site renewable projects

A Bipartisan Approach to Clean Energy

WATCH: A Bipartisan Letter from Congress

READ: Senator's Hickenlooper (D) and Curtis (R) sponsor the Co-location Energy Act

"A diverse energy grid through co-location is a sure-fire way to secure a resilient energy future for Utahns."

U.S. Representative John Curtis (UT-3), Chairman, Conservative Climate Caucus

"I have worked with Planet Reimagined for a long time and have seen their advocacy for the future of our planet firsthand. This new policy report is innovative and proposes promising steps the Bureau of Land Management can take to move towards a clean energy future by co-locating renewable energy on lands already leased for oil and gas production."