February 23, 2024 – The European Commission’s upcoming guidance on acceleration areas for renewable energy deployment should balance speed and scale with environmental impacts in support of an accelerated and sustainable energy transition.

The European Union has set ambitious goals to combat climate change, aiming for climate neutrality by 2050 and a substantial increase in renewable energy to 42.5% by 2030. Power purchase agreements (PPAs) are an increasingly important route to market for new wind and solar power plants. Partnerships between energy buyers and suppliers, which had unprecedented growth in 2023 ensure a stable revenue stream – vital for project financing.

Renewables acceleration areas initiative: driving the transition

The European Commission aims to accelerate the renewable energy transition and will issue guidance to Member States on designating renewable acceleration areas. If properly implemented, this initiative may contribute to the speedy deployment of renewable energy technologies, especially wind and solar, to meet the 2030 targets. Crucially, urgent action is needed to streamline permitting processes everywhere, not only in acceleration areas, and facilitate the rapid development of renewable energy projects and support the growth of the PPA market.

Addressing permitting bottlenecks and ensuring flexibility

Delays and uncertainties in obtaining permits can hinder project timelines and increase costs, deterring investors and stalling progress towards the renewable energy targets. This is a key bottleneck for the PPA market: a lack of projects. Energy buyers want to procure renewables but there is insufficient supply.

The guidance should help Member States speed up permitting. Acceleration zones can help by providing more information on land and speeding up permitting in zones that have already undergone an environmental assessment based on specific and transparent criteria. However, this should in no circumstances lead to the creation of ‘no go areas’ which would prevent renewables projects outside of acceleration zones. Nor should the process of defining these acceleration areas divert any human resources from the permitting of renewable energy projects today.  Permitting for renewables should be streamlined and speedy across Europe, not just in acceleration zones.

These measures will not only drive economic growth but also pave the way for the decarbonisation of industry and the EU’s electricity supply.

By removing unnecessary barriers policymakers can unlock the full potential of PPAs and accelerate the transition to a cleaner, sustainable energy landscape.