In Germany, the number of new wind and solar installations is set to almost double between 2022 and 2023. This change is partly due to major changes that should simplify the licensing of clean energy projects.
As the war in Ukraine raged, Russian gas imports fell, forcing Europe to rapidly ramp up clean energy development. In line with EU directivesGermany has digitalized licensing, streamlined the approval process and declared clean energy an “overriding public interest,”” A designation that protects projects from legal challenges. It also required states to set aside 2 percent of their land for wind turbines, which helped accelerate if it allows.
“Germany shows what is possible if you are serious about expanding wind energy,” WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson said in a proposition“Many more new projects are being approved than before, especially in the field of onshore wind energy.”
From 2022 to 2023, new wind and solar capacity increased from 9.7 gigawatts to 18.6 gigawatts, Bloomberg reportedHe noted that last year’s figures do not reflect the full impact of the regulatory changes as many recently approved projects have yet to be built.
“Permits are one of the miracle cures of the energy transition,” said Jonathan Bonadio from SolarPower Europe. “If we get the paperwork and bureaucratic procedures right, solar and renewables will have a real chance.” Bonadio wrote a 2023 analysis This showed that Germany is ahead of most other countries in Europe in reducing bureaucracy.
Speaking with BloombergBärbel Heidebroek, head of the German Wind Energy Association, said Germany “can certainly be a model for other European countries.”
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