The Welsh Government has given a boost to small-scale solar deployment by abolishing a mechanism that requires direct ministerial approval for the construction of the power stations.
Instead, Wales Secretary of State for Economy, Energy and Planning Rebecca Evans revealed on Wednesday (13 November) that planning inspectors from Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) would make decisions on projects with a capacity of less than 50 MW.
This change from the current system, which requires renewable energy projects with a capacity greater than 10MW to obtain consent directly from the Welsh Government under the Developments of National Significance (DNS) process, is expected to reduce the average decision time for shorten planning applications for renewable energy generation. with at least 12 weeks.
Chris Hewett, chief executive of industry body Solar Energy, welcomed the Welsh Government’s move, saying it is a “real tonic for the renewable energy sector in Wales”.
“The faster decisions are made, the faster we can reduce dependence on expensive, imported gas and achieve the supply chain and installation jobs, energy security, decarbonization and lower bills we all need. I look forward to helping develop the forthcoming Sector Agreement and further accelerating investment in renewables in Wales,” said Hewett.
Planning reforms have been high on Wales’ agenda for several months. Our sister publication, Current±, recently published a statement from renewable energy developer Bute Energywhich strongly criticized the Welsh building permit system and called for urgent reforms to accelerate the rollout of more sustainable energy projects, especially larger scale ones.
However, the Welsh Government’s publicly announced plans to reform the planning system and introduce welcome changes for the industry are helping to boost investor confidence in the country’s renewable energy sector.
Although most of Wales’ renewable energy sector is expected to be dominated by onshore and offshore wind energy, especially with the potential that the Celtic Sea could offer the countrySolar energy is expected to play a complementary role in the energy transition.
Solar Energy UK says Wales could have 8GW of solar PV capacity by 2035 and 5GW by 2030, up from around 1GW today.
Evans also said the Welsh Government will work with communities, developers and stakeholders to achieve its renewable energy targets. The next steps include working to secure and deliver a renewable energy sector agreement. Solar Energy UK expects to be part of the new working group for the deal, which will be convened next year.
“The aim will be for government, industry and other stakeholders to formulate a shared vision and actions to support the implementation of sustainable energy projects. We need action to remove barriers and improve outcomes for supply chains, skills, employment and community benefits,” said Evans.
