Portugal's government has scrapped requirements to conduct an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for certain renewable energy projects in a new legislative package aimed at reducing the amount of bureaucracy in an effort to attract investments in climate protection solutions.
The package, Ambientes mais simples, or Simplex, will help simplify the environmental permitting process for other industries as well as renewables, and EIAs will not be required for projects that are not located in protected areas.
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Under the new process, green hydrogen projects, solar PV installations occupying less than 100 hectares (247 acres) and wind turbines located more than 2 kilometres (1.24 miles) apart from each other will not need an EIA.
Most of the new measures will go into effect in March 2023.
The simplified procedures will not lead to paying less attention to the environment, but put more focus on the environment and pay less attention to bureaucracy, Portuguese prime minister Antonio Costa said at the presentation of the Simplex package last week.
"[W]e intend to accelerate the energy transition, intensify the decarbonisation of the economy, accelerate the circular economy and reduce bureaucracy in the public administration’s day-to-day relationship with citizens”, Costa added.
Portugal has so far successful in raising the renewables share in energy production to 59% in 2021 from 47% in 2015, according to the prime minister. The current government now wants to increase this share to 80% by the end of its term in 2026.
