Wind and sun are free, but it’s harder to get renewable energy projects built these days. Here’s why [Video]

SPRAKEBUELL – The wind gusting across north German farm country brings much to the village of Sprakebuell: fog and rain from the sea, the occasional migrating stork, the faint smell of manure in the newly fertilized fields.

And perhaps best of all, money — from selling the electricity generated by the wind turbines studding the flat green fields stretching out to the North Sea. A slice of the cash goes to the villagers themselves, with the local buy-in making this windy farming enclave near the border with Denmark a showcase for ways to push ahead with renewable energy projects.

It’s not easy when headwinds from the post-pandemic global economy — including high interest rates and inflation — are holding back often costly investment in wind, solar and other forms of clean power.

That is slowing the growth in renewablesneeded to fend off climate change, just as it needs to speed up to meet an ambitious goal …