WindEurope has welcomed an action plan unveiled by the European Commission to speed up the roll-out of renewable energy and significantly reduce permitting times
The ‘REPowerEU Action Plan’ spells out that renewables are at the core of Europe’s energy security and tackles the permitting bottlenecks that are holding back the expansion of wind and solar.
A new law will enshrine the principle that renewables are presumed to be in the ‘overriding public interest’ and explains in detail how governments can simplify their permitting processes.
Two weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine, the EU Commission mapped out a new EU energy policy, ‘REPowerEU.’ The policy targeted the end of Russian energy imports by 2027 and an accelerated roll-out of renewables and accelerated electrification of the energy system.
Now, with the ‘REPowerEU Action Plan,’ unveiled 18 May 2022, nine new initiatives have been unveiled that will deliver these ambitious goals.
The Commission said faster renewables-based decarbonisation is key for both climate neutrality and energy security. It proposes to raise the EU’s 2030 renewable energy target to 45% as part of the ‘Fit for 55’ package.
The Commission also wants to ramp up renewable hydrogen to decarbonise Europe’s hard-to-abate sectors, with more dedicated EU funding for electrolyser manufacturing. And it wants to strengthen Europe’s renewables supply chains.
“Crucially,” said WindEurope, “the REPowerEU Action Plan acknowledges the need for wind energy permitting to be ‘drastically accelerated.’ To that end the Commission has tabled a new legislative proposal on renewables permitting which will be folded into the ongoing review of the EU Renewable Energy Directive.
“This new proposal does three things,” WindEnergy explained. “It would enshrine in EU law the principle that renewables are presumed to be in the ‘overriding public interest.’ This means their build-out can be prioritised in the current energy crisis on a case-by-case basis until climate neutrality is reached.
The proposal then creates renewable ‘go-to’ areas that national governments need to set up on the back of a strategic environmental assessment. In these areas, projects will need to be permitted in 12 months.
Finally, the Commission keeps the existing permitting deadlines – two years for normal new projects, and one year for repowered projects – but clarifies which permits and procedures must be delivered within these deadlines.
Responding to the plan, WindEurope chief executive Giles Dickson said, “The REPowerEU Action Plan hits the nail on the head. The EU wants to build out wind energy from 190 GW today to 480 GW in just eight years. But you can only do that if you simplify the permitting. And that’s what REPowerEU aims to achieve.
“It also acknowledges the EU has to support the wind industry supply chain – too right: Europe’s five wind turbine manufacturers are all operating at a loss today. Bring on this support. New renewables must be made in Europe.”
Alongside the new law on permitting, the Commission has also published a permitting recommendation and detailed guidance to Governments on how exactly they can simplify their permitting rules and procedures.
The new guidance outlines best practices on permitting from around Europe and shows what works: how to digitalise processes and ensure public authorities work better together.
“The Commission’s action plan on permitting ticks all the boxes,” said Mr Dickson. “The legal proposals clarify what permits have to be issued within the existing deadlines and creates ‘go-to’ areas where projects can go ahead even faster after a strategic environmental assessment.
“The wind industry remains committed as ever to protecting biodiversity and engaging local communities. We work closely with NGOs to mitigate impacts on wildlife and with local communities that host windfarms.”
In addition to the EU permitting recommendation and guidance, the European wind industry is sharing with national governments a full list of measures they can take now to simplify and accelerate permitting for renewables. These include applying common sense spatial planning rules, streamlining judicial frameworks to a maximum of two legal appeals, or applying the principle of ‘positive silence’ to all renewable energy projects.
Riviera Maritime Media will provide free technical and operational webinars in 2022. Sign up to attend on our events page
© 2023 Riviera Maritime Media Ltd.