In quarter three of 2024 An Bord Pleanála granted planning permission to only a single new wind farm, about 13% of the volume of wind energy needed to keep Ireland on track for the government’s targets in the Climate Action Plan, it has been revealed.
This is according to the latest quarterly report published recently by Wind Energy Ireland on the number of wind energy projects getting through the planning system.
In quarter three of 2024 An Bord Pleanála granted planning permission for a single new wind farm with an estimated capacity of 63 MW. Wind Energy Ireland estimates that, to achieve the 9,000 MW onshore wind energy by 2030 target in the Climate Action Plan, An Bord Pleanála would have needed to approve 492 MW during this period.
The Board also rejected planning applications from two wind farms with an estimated combined capacity of 95MW, while 31 projects totalling 1,730MW are awaiting decision at the end of Q3.
'Broken planning system'
Noel Cunniffe, CEO of Wind Energy Ireland, said: “At an Bord Pleanála’s current rate of grants for new wind farms we will hit Ireland’s 2030 target at some point in 2044. Our broken planning system continues to be the single greatest barrier to affordable, clean, energy and to ending our dependency on imported fossil fuels.
“Today’s report shows that just three new wind energy projects received decisions on their planning applications during the last quarter compared with five during the same period in 2023. Only one of these projects, with a capacity of 63MW, was approved which is disastrous when we need around 492MW in the last quarter to help reach our Climate Action Plan target of 9,000MW by 2030.”
“Fewer projects mean higher electricity prices for consumers, and more money spent on importing fossil fuels.”
County Development Plans
The refusal rate for projects in An Bord Pleanála has increased significantly in recent months due to anti-wind County Development Plans.
Cunniffe continued: “Extra resources for An Bord Pleanála, the NPWS and other planning bodies are very welcome and we hope to see an improvement in decision timelines. It is also encouraging to see An Bord Pleanála approve several changes to projects in the last quarter to enable older projects that already had planning permission to move forward.
“But we are seeing an increase in the number of refusals of projects because of anti-wind County Development plans, where local authorities have changed the zoning of the land to prevent wind farms being built.
“Preventing the development of renewable energy projects condemns us all to paying higher prices for imported fossil fuels and undermines Ireland as an attractive location for foreign direct investment.”
Action Plan on planning resources
The government recently announced a Ministerial Action Plan on Planning Resources setting out how they plan to invest in building expertise and capacity in the planning system.
Wind Energy Ireland is calling on the government to work with An Bord Pleanála to ensure they have the staff with the expertise required to assess and decide on an increasing volume of technically demanding planning applications for critical renewable energy infrastructure.
Cunniffe said: “To meet the needs of our growing economy, we need to accelerate the delivery of new onshore and offshore wind farms and reinforce the electricity grid in just a few short years.
“We are living through twin climate and energy crises, but our planning system has not changed to reflect this and, until it does, Ireland will struggle to grow our economy and hit climate targets.
“The government deserves credit for bringing this action plan forward, which we hope will be implemented as soon as possible. To deliver a zero-carbon electricity system, supporting the delivery of a renewable energy workforce, including professionals with planning expertise, is critical.”