Suddenly it's not so much how sunny or windy a site is, but rather how much money is available. States generally have guidelines to prevent people from installing a solar panel in a forest: Solar projects require a specific exposure to the south, and wind needs a certain expected average speed. But weather conditions vary wildly, and states often don't require businesses to perform tests to verify estimates. The danger: Government money will be poured into renewable projects that won't produce much energy.