New laws in Connecticut, Virginia could speed solar permits, and cut costs for homeowners

A new wave of energy advocacy groups in states including Connecticut and Virginia are shifting their pitches away from partisan battles and toward household benefits.

As Latitude Media detailed, a focus on reducing energy bills and maximizing the grid appears to be resonating with households and lawmakers as electricity costs climb and state leaders search for faster, lower-cost ways to add energy capacity.

What's happening?

Rather than centering campaigns on any single energy technology, nonprofits and advocacy groups are increasingly putting attention on affordability and grid reliability.

According to Latitude Media, at least nine energy groups have launched since 2024 with that approach, arguing that states often have more direct power than Washington over permitting, utility rates, and grid reliability.

In Connecticut and Virginia, new laws require local governments to adopt or match automated permitting systems for home solar and batteries. Permit Power, founded by Nick Josefowitz, has supported policies like those as part of an effort to make rooftop solar and home batteries cheaper and easier to install.

"We've found that both Republicans and Democrats want to make it easier for families to save money on their utility bills, even if they might want to go about it in different ways," Josefowitz told the outlet.

In Colorado, certain plug-in solar panel systems for balconies have been legalized, and it became the first state to allow some rooftop solar systems to interconnect without a utility agreement.

Meanwhile, groups like Deploy Action and Utilize Coalition are backing policies designed to get more out of the existing grid instead of investing in expensive new infrastructure.

Why does it matter?

For many families, the biggest energy issue is not ideology, but the monthly bill. When approvals take too long, paperwork is cumbersome, and grid bottlenecks persist, home energy projects can cost thousands more and electricity can become pricier.

Instead of framing cleaner energy as a cultural fight, these newer groups are selling it as a way to save money. 

"The way to get legislators and public officials to trust you is by not advocating for any specific technology," Arnab Pal, executive director of Deploy Action, told Latitude Media.

Because federal energy policy can swing sharply from one administration to the next, state-level action may offer a steadier path for both advocates and consumers.

What's being done?

Several groups are now testing whether leading pitches with household savings can win bipartisan backing. There are early wins and bipartisan bills, though Latitude Media noted they've mostly occurred in blue states.

At the national level, geothermal is a cleaner energy technology that has bipartisan backing and is being sped up through recent legislation.

There is a push that crosses the aisle to expand energy of all types and strengthen the grid that could boost cleaner energy projects. Still, even as supporters gain momentum, they face the challenge of being heavily outspent. 

Open Secrets data cited by the publication reported that during the 2024 election cycle, oil and gas interests spent nearly $250 million, compared with nearly $22 million from the "alternative energy" sector.

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