Almost two-thirds of UK renewable energy projects are rejected at the planning stage, according to a new survey by consultant Cornwall Insight.
Some 4,000 applications for wind and solar projects were made between 2018 and 2023 but, of these, 63% were either abandoned, rejected or saw building permits expire, said the consultant.
“The UK has set ambitious targets to increase renewable energy capacity,” said Lucy Dolton, head of resources and infrastructure at Cornwall Insight.
“However, these data reveal a substantial shortfall in achieving these goals, something that is largely caused by the slow pace of progress in building renewable energy projects.”
Developers are part of the reason behind the large number of rejections, added Cornwall, as they submit more plans than they know will be approved.
Pressure is growing on the pipeline with a 66% jump in new applications in 2023 compared to 2022 as the UK’s plans to switch to a zero carbon economy by 2050 start to accelerate.