The lengthy process of obtaining permits to build new renewable energy projects is often the first thing that comes up when different players in the green sector talk about the main challenges of increasing the use of renewable energy.

This is also the case for Matilda Afzelius, CEO of RES Group in the Nordics, who also has a few other items on her wish list to pave the way for more green power in the grid.

”I’ve been in the industry for 25 years and permitting is one of the things I keep coming back to. In Sweden and the UK, we’re looking at permitting times for wind energy projects of seven to ten years. That’s just way too long,” says Afzelius.

The EU Commission is striving to shorten the approval time to two to three years, and according to Afzelius, this would be ”workable”. Germany has taken the lead in doing something about the long permitting times.

”With a fast track, Germany shows that things can actually be done more quickly. All such initiatives are of course welcome. But in addition to permitting times, I would also point to challenges in understanding the complexity of the grid. Less rigid rules could allow us to better utilize the benefits of the different technologies,” says Afzelius.

As an example, she mentions that when a wind farm is connected, the full capacity of the grid is locked in, even though it is rare that the full capacity is actually used.

”It can be a challenge to get a nearby solar farm connected to the grid when the capacity is taken by the wind farm, which otherwise very rarely uses its full allocated capacity. So as a developer, we would like to see more flexibility and availability in the grid,” says Afzelius.

To affect everyday lives

As a third challenge for increased use of renewable energy, she points to citizens’ acceptance of having projects in their vicinity.

”It’s a challenge because we need a lot more renewable energy and we need to use the space that’s not being used. And that will affect people’s everyday lives. So we need the public to understand that renewable energy is great.”

”You can do so many things with green power and it can help ensure the quality of life that we have today. But there’s a downside to it that we might have to see a wind farm nearby,” says Afzelius.