Clay County
Clay County, West Virginia: solar permitting grade D (score 58/100, High Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | D · High Risk · Score 58/100 |
| Population | 8,508 |
| Solar ordinance | Active solar ordinance on the books |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Worsening (ordinance direction tightening) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Clay County is a high-risk jurisdiction for utility-scale solar — documented ordinance hurdles are significant and approval history is mixed or unfavorable. West Virginia's state policy environment adds headwinds — the absence of a strong RPS framework means county-level resistance faces less counterbalancing pressure.
Local intel
No energy-related meetings, PSC dockets, or named opposition tracked for this county yet. See indexed calendar →
Nearby counties where SitePath is tracking energy activity: Kanawha County (≈26 mi) · Putnam County (≈45 mi) · Mason County (≈55 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Clay County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Clay town
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Nicholas County · ≈19 miD62—
- Roane County · ≈24 miD55—
- Braxton County · ≈25 miD60—
- Kanawha County · ≈26 miC44—
- Calhoun County · ≈27 miD56—
- Fayette County · ≈30 miD57—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Clay County ranks #38 of 55 ranked West Virginia counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in West Virginia: Berkeley County (B · 39), Mineral County (C · 43), Kanawha County (C · 44). See all West Virginia county grades →
Want the full record?
Setback distances, board vote histories, source documents, and ordinance amendments are available in the full county profile. The map is free; a walkthrough shows you the underlying record.
About this score
Every U.S. county is scored 0–100 on solar permitting risk (lower is friendlier to development). The grade is a weighted composite of compliance stringency, market saturation, regulatory trajectory, and data uncertainty. Every figure traces back to a primary government document. Read the full methodology →
Related reading
SitePath Intelligence is a research platform. Data verified as of 2026-05-02. Scores update on a quarterly review cycle.