The Challenge
In early 2025, UGE faced an enviable challenge: evaluating over 100 projects from its purchase of OYA's development pipeline. Each site came with zoning and permitting uncertainty—was renewable energy allowed by-right, did it require a conditional use permit, or was it outright prohibited? Normally, answering these questions would take hours of manual checks and local ordinance and sentiment research, per site. To act quickly without multiplying headcount, UGE needed a way to quickly and accurately decide which opportunities to pursue, especially in new markets where they had little prior development experience.
The Solution
By embedding Spark into their origination process, UGE transformed how they screen, prioritize, and de-risk projects. Spark delivers yes/no feasibility answers in minutes, not weeks. The platform aggregates zoning regulations, historical project data, and community sentiment into a unified platform that provides UGE with the same depth of diligence that might have otherwise taken days. Reports are shared internally from Origination through Development, providing both a temperature check on local sentiment and a roadmap for realistic permitting pathways.
Results
“Having all the original sources directly linked within the report, not just an AI summary, is extremely helpful so we don't have to go hunting it down in order to verify information. Spark enables us to quickly understand all the project risks before proceeding with further development & permitting.”
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