New regulatory framework to accelerate the deployment of geothermal

• “Renewable go-to areas“ to be included in the RES Directive revision

The Member States agreed on accelerated permitting rules for renewables:

• • Each EU Country will map the areas necessary for national contributions towards the 2030 renewable energy target within 18 months after the entry into force of this directive.
  • They will adopt a plan or plans designating ‘renewables go-to areas’ within 30 months.
• REPowerEU: Fast permitting

Proposed by the Commission for REPower EU, agreement reached among the Member: this regulation will apply temporally, covering the time needed for the adoption and transposition of the Renewable Energy Directive.

• Renewable energy plants would be presumed to be of overriding public interest

This would allow new permitting procedures to benefit with immediate effect from a simplified assessment for specific derogations foreseen in EU environmental legislation.

• Heat pumps permit-granting procedure

The permit-granting process for the installation of heat pumps below 50MW shall not exceed one month, in case of ground-source heat pumps three months (+ simplified procedure for grid connection of smaller heat pumps). Member States agreed to give the possibility to apply the faster permitting rules for ongoing permit requests.