The French Government has unveiled streamlined permitting rules for onshore wind that it hopes will reduce development timelines for the sector.
Appeals against projects will now only be heard by two courts instead of three under the new guidelines, it is understood.
Paris says municipalities with onshore wind farms will receive a higher share of a grid tax and projects owned by local residents will be given preference in onshore wind tenders.
Repowering of onshore wind farms will in the future only require a modification to the initial permit, if the change to the project “is not substantial”.
Turbines will also need to be illuminated less during the night and the military will need to justify refusals to have onshore wind farms built on their training and radar territory.
Industry group SER called the proposals “important progress in favour of onshore wind energy”, although it had hoped for more ambitious changes.
Paris has not introduced a so-called envelope permitting regime, despite pleas from market players who argued such a move would give them the chance to take technology choices later in the development process.
Image: Pixabay
Paris presents onshore revamp
By EBS