Permits - Wind Energy
One-Stop Shop
Overview
A one-stop shop can be considered as a focal point for business and investors with an interest in developing and financing renewable energy projects. Such an entity would aim at providing the necessary information and support required by developers and financiers.
The one-stop shop coan either exist simply as an information portal or it could actually take a proactive approach to assist developers navigate the complicated licensing and permit requirements. It is noted that these services and functions may not be required by all developers, especially the larger developers who would have much greater internal infrastructures to develop
projects, however the aim would be to provide a range of services and information to a wide range of clients based on the needs of those clients.
As an information dissemination entity, the one-stop would be web-based as well as providing experienced staff for one-to-one support. The website for the one-stop shop would be home to a comprehensive process map, which would illustrate the steps a project developer must execute in order to fulfil the necessary licensing and permitting requirements.
In addition to the process map, the one-stop shop could provide contact information for all the relevant regulatory bodies overseeing the different steps, e.g. EIA, construction permits, interconnection and generation licensing, etc. The one-stop shop could also provide information regarding the requirements of local municipalities, and advise on the necessary steps project developers would have to execute outside of e.g. provincial control or jurisdiction, such as securing a Generation Licence from the Regulator, a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) or a grid interconnection. Other issues could include a heritage assessment.
The one-stop shop entity would be mandated and designed to provide guidance on all key issues necessary to kick start and fast track renewable energy power projects.
Should a more pro-active approach be required, this could take the form of directly supporting and guiding developers in their applications through the various regulatory requirements or helping to resolve conflicts arising with licensing and permitting bodies.
As well as providing support to developers and investors, the one-stop shop could also be able to provide support to municipalities within the e.g. Province that are looking to promote and encourage the development of renewable energy projects.
The one-stop shop could initially be established under an existing institution, in order to reduce set-up and operation costs, but with the possibility of establishing a dedicated stand alone entity at some point in the future should the need arise.
The one-stop shop will be a vital institution to support the implementation of the priority measures for the development of renewable energy, establish a long-term sustainable clean energy industry and local enterprise opportunities, and contribute to addressing
national barriers to renewable energy development in the country.
International and Local Examples
There are a number of local and international examples of one-stop shop entities that have been used to promote and support the development of renewable energy. A review of key examples provides insight into the various solutions that have been developed to streamline the project development process. There examples range from a simple information dissemination portal to more complex engagements where the one-stop shop has been designated to provide certain local, regional or national approvals, or to act as mediator with other institutions.
There are examples of how responsibilities could be bundled so that project developers and financiers have a single point of contact which is designed to provide information and sometimes approvals for renewable energy projects. The one-stop shop can act as a focal point when applying for permission for a wind power plant or other renewable energy projects, rather than several different and sometimes conflicting authorities. The approval process for renewable energy projects, in particular wind energy, differs largely from country to country. There are also variations within countries in different regions, states, provinces or municipalities, on the regulations and procedures to be followed for developing a wind farm. There are often varying specific regional laws and regulations; a one-stop shop can assist in reducing the delays and confusion by providing a single point of contact for project developers where information is simplified and aggregated.
United Kingdom
In the UK, there has been some action to develop one-stop shops to help combat some of the barriers to wind and other renewable energy development. The UK’s Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has developed a Renewable Energy Strategy and the Office for Renewable Energy Deployment which acts as a one-stop shop and information portal. The website for this initiative is called UK Renewables: Growing the UK capability for a global market (see http://www.ukrenewables.com/ for more information). This is a one-stop shop provides a variety of different information for policymakers, project developers and investor. UK Renewables is a Government service that utilises trade promotion in coordination with UK Trade and Investment, Regional Development Agencies and Devolved Administrations to
facilitate the growth of UK renewable energy industry both national and on a world-scale. The main goal is to assist and support the achievement of the UK’s 2020 renewable energy targets.
The UK Renewables service supports individual private companies that are looking to expand into the renewable energy industry and assist those which have already developed projects. The UK one-stop shop does this by providing all the required information, advice and contacts which individuals and companies would need. The overall aim of this one-stop shop is to help:
- promote the UK as a premier destination for investment in the wind energy market;
- communicate the latest developments in UK renewable energy policy and important information for investors;
- showcase all the benefits the UK has to offer which includes natural resources, business environment, infrastructure, policy frameworks, financial support mechanisms, existing manufacturing industries and more; and
- facilitate business opportunities by working closely with other UK Government entities, potential investors and ensuring lead points of contact are shared.
The BWEA has developed a web-based one-stop shop for small-scale wind turbines (see http://www.bwea.com/small/ for further information). This is a portal that provides interested parties with relevant information, although it does not offer services to assist with approval procedures or liaising with authorities. The information offered ranges from a market overview of available small-scale systems, a wind speed database, advice on the
permitting process, grant programmes for small-scale renewables, and experience and lessons learned from existing projects.
In addition to the BWEA, there are also some local initiatives of one-stop shops, for example Renewable Energy for Devon (RE4D). RE4D is a partnership providing free independent advice and support for small scale renewable energy projects. RE4D is a local one-stop shop that provides a range of services including:
- assisting to identify potential renewable energy options;
- assessing technologies and installers;
- developing a financial case for renewable energy projects;
- accessing grants and loans for projects;
- address planning issues related to different renewable energy projects; and
- providing information about the renewable energy market, businesses, communities, households and the public sector that are engaged in project development and financing.
There are also not-for-profit companies working as regional one-stop shops due to limited national support for streamlining permitting, zoning, licensing, and EIA reporting. An example of a regional UK one-stop shop is Regen SW Energy Agency, which services the South West England, providing sustainable energy solutions and assisting with the transition to a low-carbon economy.
The agency’s mission is to speed up the transition to a low-carbon economy in South West England by:
- unlocking sustainable-energy business opportunities;
- accelerating the uptake of the region's renewable energy resources; and
- leading effective energy efficiency initiatives in the region.
The SW Energy Agency is a one-stop shop for the sustainable energy industry in the region and gives independent advice to decision makers and also works with renewable energy developers.
The agency also supports demonstration projects across a range of technologies at both a micro and utility scale and assists in stimulating public debates about sustainable energy resources. The SW Energy Agency is quite a comprehensive one-stop shop that engages with businesses, local authorities, and residents and communities looking to implement renewable energy and energy
efficiency projects.
see e.g.: GTZ 2009: Development of Implementation Strategies for a Regional Regulatory Action Plan (RRAP) for the Western Cape. http://www.gtz.de/de/dokumente/gtz2009-en-regional-regulatory-action-plan-western-cape.pdf
One-Stop Shop pp. 60
(der approach könnte ggf. aber auch unter Miscellaneous?)
