Obtaining permits and approvals for renewable energy production to be simplified

Obtaining permits and approvals for producing energy from renewable sources will be simplified. The Economy, Budget and Finance Committee will propose that Parliament approve in the first reading a bill aimed at streamlining the authorization process for renewable energy production projects and promoting the sustainable development of the biofuels market.

The legislative initiative belongs to the Ministry of Energy, and its development is part of the Republic of Moldova’s commitments to align national legislation with European standards in the field.

The bill provides for the introduction into legislation of requirements for identifying and designating acceleration areas for renewable energy projects, as well as for developing plans for the siting of grid and storage infrastructure. These areas will be selected as a priority based on criteria that favor the use of land and infrastructure that has already been developed or is less sensitive from an environmental protection perspective. At the same time, both for acceleration areas and for plans concerning the siting of grid and storage infrastructure, the bill explicitly excludes territories where the development of renewable energy projects could generate an unacceptable environmental impact or be incompatible with conservation objectives.

The document also establishes maximum time limits for obtaining the necessary permits, decisions and approvals. Thus, large power plants may be authorized within no more than 24 months, while facilities with a capacity of up to 150 kW will be authorized within a maximum of 12 months. In acceleration areas, the deadline will be reduced to no more than 12 months, while for self-consumption installations, including those mounted on buildings, it will be a maximum of three months. Photovoltaic panels with a capacity of up to 100 kW installed by prosumers, as well as small-capacity heat pumps, may be authorized within a single month.

Shorter deadlines are also provided for the reconstruction or modernization of existing power plants. If the installation is located in an acceleration area and its capacity does not increase by more than 15%, the procedure may be completed within 30 days.

In addition, a digital platform will be created to bring together, through a single access point, all processes and information relevant to the development of a renewable energy project. Currently, developers must interact with multiple authorities and institutions, each with its own platforms, forms and deadlines, which generates high administrative costs and prolongs the authorization process.

The Government will create, operate and update the national spatial data infrastructure concerning energy resources. In geospatial format, it will include information on the potential for producing energy from renewable sources, as well as on the terrestrial and underground areas and inland waters available for the development of renewable power plants and related grid and storage infrastructure.

To create favorable conditions for the large-scale integration of renewable technologies in buildings, central and local authorities will be required to include provisions on the integration of renewable sources when developing and revising urban planning and spatial planning documentation. These provisions will cover, among other things, the installation of photovoltaic and solar thermal panels, heat pumps, storage systems and self-consumption solutions.

The bill also provides for changes to the remuneration mechanism for electricity supplied to the grid by prosumers. For new installations, suppliers will purchase surplus energy at the day-ahead market price, replacing the current mechanism based on an average price. Individuals who already own installations will benefit from the current mechanism until the end of 2027.

Regarding the biofuels market, the bill proposes establishing a Register that will enable the monitoring of transactions, the recording of greenhouse gas emissions and the issuance of certificates for renewable fuels intended for transport. At the same time, importers and wholesale traders of petrol and diesel will be required to place a minimum share of biofuels on the market.

According to the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan, the Government has set the objective that by 2030 at least 27% of final energy consumption will be covered by renewable sources. In recent years, renewable energy projects have developed significantly nationwide. For example, over the past five years, the installed capacity for producing energy from renewable sources has increased 11.6-fold.

 

Communication and Public Relations Department of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova