A proposed new European Union-wide law that would fast track planning for renewable energy projects must also ensure that people have “a voice” in any planning process, according to a Green Party MEP.
The proposed law (REPowerEU) outlines new measures to give member states and planning authorities more leeway to accelerate the planning process for new renewable energy projects.
It sets out that member states could designate new “renewables acceleration areas” which must avoid any negative environmental impact. The proposed law also includes an obligation for EU countries to ensure that permission or permits to install solar energy equipment on buildings are granted within one month.
Renewable energy projects
Ciarán Cuffe, Green Party MEP for Dublin, told the European Parliament in Strasbourg that the “rights of the public” to be part of planning decisions on energy projects and to participate in the planning process must be upheld in any legislation.
“We just don’t want to say open season build what you want where you want, we still do need planning and we need to make sure that citizens are consulted.
“But the whole idea is that planning will be very much speeded up now for renewable energy projects,” the MEP added.
He believes that there is currently a lot of “red tape” and a lot of conflicting legislation around the planning process for renewable energy projects.
“We do need to make sure that while nature and and communities are protected that we also move ahead these renewable energy projects in a timely manner.
“This has implications for Ireland – we have massive plans for offshore ocean energy, we have massive plans for an interconnector to France and we want these projects are rolled out within a limited timescale. But we also need to make sure that people’s voices are heard.
“I think we can do both, I think we can speed up the deployment of renewable energy and make our laws simpler but also ensure that citizen’s voices are heard,” the Green Party MEP added.
But he also said if it was the “wrong kind of project” that could cause damage to biodiversity or was going to pass through special areas of conservation then it should not be fast-tracked.