EU emergency measures challenged

In a letter to EU ministers, wind industry CEOs call for changes in permitting.

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In a letter to EU ministers, wind industry CEOs call for changes in permitting.

Emergency measures

In terms of permits, the European Union ministers adopted urgent measures to simplify and accelerate the time required to obtain them. However, these measures are a step backwards. Indeed, obtaining permits is the main barrier to the expansion of renewable energy.

80GW of wind power capacity is currently stuck in permitting procedures across Europe. The simplification and acceleration of authorizations are essential, especially to strengthen Europe’s energy security. The new EU energy strategy, REPowerEU, should play a role in simplifying the authorizations.

Brussels is introducing new rules that will apply to renewable energy projects currently being licensed but also to new projects. The European Council recently agreed that there should be new emergency measures to speed up licensing. These emergency measures are under consideration and were agreed by the Energy Council.

Challenges

These EU emergency measures would only apply to new permit applications. Thus, they would only unlock a small fraction of the wind energy projects currently in development. This is a step backwards from the REPowerEU measures.

More than two dozen leading wind industry CEOs are challenging the new measures. They believe that emergency measures should apply to all permits. Europe needs more renewable energy to replace Russian gas and improve energy security.

This debate was the subject of a letter made public by business leaders. For them, this step backwards is unjustifiable in the European context. Finally, these emergency measures must be agreed upon at the energy council.

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