Green Forum • 24 February, 2025 at 9:35 PM
The EU aims to be climate neutral by 2050, with renewable energy playing a vital role. Yet, lengthy and complex permitting processes significantly delay renewable energy projects and hinder the EU's decarbonization efforts.
To tackle this issue, the revised Renewable Energy Directive (RED III, Directive (EU) 2023/2413), which came into force on 20 November 2023, introduces "Renewables Acceleration Areas" (Polish: "OPRO"). Under RED III, EU Member States must designate at least one such area for one or more renewable energy types by 21 February 2026. These areas will facilitate faster project development through a prior strategic environmental assessment and a simplified permitting process.
These zones are essential for achieving the EU's new energy and climate targets. By pinpointing the most suitable locations for renewable projects—considering technical and economic potential, existing and future grid infrastructure, land use, environmental impacts, and local support—they aim to reduce administrative burdens, legal uncertainties, and public opposition. In doing so, they provide greater clarity for developers, investors, and grid operators, and help integrate renewables into the energy system more efficiently.
In Poland, protracted and complex procedures have been a major obstacle for renewable energy development. Currently, obtaining permits for a wind power plant can take five to seven years, while solar projects may face delays of up to four years. The introduction of Renewables Acceleration Areas could cut the permitting process down to 12 months, representing a significant opportunity for investors.
RED III's new regulations are designed to streamline environmental procedures in areas of accelerated renewable energy development—particularly in regions, such as industrial or agricultural zones, where the risk of negative environmental impacts is minimal.
In Poland, a legal framework for these Acceleration Areas is set to be established by amending the Act on the Promotion of Electricity Generation in Offshore Wind Farms and certain other Acts (UD 162 print). A draft of the amendment was published on the Government Legislation Centre's website on 7 February 2025 and is currently under a 21-day public consultation.