The European Union executive aims to accelerate the bloc's green transformation and reduce its dependency on Russian resources by permitting some renewable energy projects to acquire permits within a year, said reports quoting information from a draft documents.
Brussels will present a package of measures next week to reduce the European Union's dependency on Russia by expanding renewable energy, energy conservation, and gas imports from other countries.
According to the draught legislative proposal, the European Commission will propose rules requiring countries to designate "go-to regions" of land or sea appropriate for renewable energy projects with little environmental effect.
"The permit-granting process for new projects located in renewables go-to areas shall not exceed one year," the document said, adding that this could be extended by three months in "extraordinary circumstances".
In comparison, the EU currently has a two-year timeframe for approving such plans, which can be extended by an additional year. The draught stated that projects outside of go-to locations will follow this timeframe.
Renewable energy projects, on the other hand, frequently suffer much lengthier delays due to red tape, local opposition, or concerns about endangered species protection, generating fears that the bloc may struggle to grow wind and solar energy quickly enough to fulfil climate change goals.
According to the Hellenic Wind Energy Association, approval of wind energy projects takes an average of eight years in Greece.
"Renewable energy sources are crucial to fight climate change, reduce energy prices, decrease the Union's dependence on fossil fuels and ensure the Union's security of supply," the document said.
Renewable energy projects would be labelled as being in the "overriding public interest," allowing for a more straightforward assessment. The draught said that EU citizens would still retain the ability to vote on the initiatives.
Protected habitats and bird migration routes would be avoided in favour of constructed areas such as rooftops, roads and trains, industrial sites, and public land.
Individual projects would no longer require an environmental evaluation unless they would have a major impact on the environment in another EU nation, according to the draught.
Smaller projects in go-to zones with less than 150kW capacity would have a six-month permitting process, or nine months if there are concerns about safety or the impact on the electrical grid.
The speedier permit rules would not apply to plants that burn biomass for energy.
(Source:www.conomictimes.com)
Brussels will present a package of measures next week to reduce the European Union's dependency on Russia by expanding renewable energy, energy conservation, and gas imports from other countries.
According to the draught legislative proposal, the European Commission will propose rules requiring countries to designate "go-to regions" of land or sea appropriate for renewable energy projects with little environmental effect.
"The permit-granting process for new projects located in renewables go-to areas shall not exceed one year," the document said, adding that this could be extended by three months in "extraordinary circumstances".
In comparison, the EU currently has a two-year timeframe for approving such plans, which can be extended by an additional year. The draught stated that projects outside of go-to locations will follow this timeframe.
Renewable energy projects, on the other hand, frequently suffer much lengthier delays due to red tape, local opposition, or concerns about endangered species protection, generating fears that the bloc may struggle to grow wind and solar energy quickly enough to fulfil climate change goals.
According to the Hellenic Wind Energy Association, approval of wind energy projects takes an average of eight years in Greece.
"Renewable energy sources are crucial to fight climate change, reduce energy prices, decrease the Union's dependence on fossil fuels and ensure the Union's security of supply," the document said.
Renewable energy projects would be labelled as being in the "overriding public interest," allowing for a more straightforward assessment. The draught said that EU citizens would still retain the ability to vote on the initiatives.
Protected habitats and bird migration routes would be avoided in favour of constructed areas such as rooftops, roads and trains, industrial sites, and public land.
Individual projects would no longer require an environmental evaluation unless they would have a major impact on the environment in another EU nation, according to the draught.
Smaller projects in go-to zones with less than 150kW capacity would have a six-month permitting process, or nine months if there are concerns about safety or the impact on the electrical grid.
The speedier permit rules would not apply to plants that burn biomass for energy.
(Source:www.conomictimes.com)
