United Kingdom: Renewable project approvals nearly double, consented capacity hits 45 GW

Planning approvals for wind, solar, and battery projects in the UK almost doubled over the past year, lifting total consented renewable capacity to 45 GW, according to new figures from environmental intelligence firm Cornwall Insight.

Cornwall Insight pointed approvals have increased by 400% over the past five years, reflecting a sustained policy push to move projects from proposal to delivery more quickly. The firm attributed the recent step-change largely to regulatory measures aimed at speeding up development, including last year’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill and grid-connection reforms introduced by the National Energy System Operator (NESO).

Clean Power 2030 targets raise the bar

The government’s Clean Power 2030 plan includes £40bn (US$50.5bn) of commitment to renewable technologies. It sets out goals to expand offshore wind to 43–50 GW by 2030, alongside scaling battery and long-duration storage to 27–33 GW.

With renewables taking a larger share of the generation mix, demand for storage is expected to climb. The UK currently has more than 6.8 GW of operational battery storage capacity, with a further 1.4 GW in the pipeline.

Grid bottlenecks remain a constraint

Despite progress on permitting, grid access remains a major hurdle. Over the past five years, the UK’s backlog of projects waiting for grid connections grew significantly, peaking at around 739 GW. Recent NESO measures aim to reduce this queue by removing “zombie” projects and prioritising developments most aligned with the goal of a zero-carbon power system by 2030.

Energy regulator Ofgem also issued additional reforms last month, including tighter licensing requirements and potential financial penalties for developers and network operators that fail to meet targets.

Cornwall Insight said the UK will still need higher investment in grid infrastructure and transmission upgrades to keep pace with rising connection demand. Robin Clarke, senior analyst at Cornwall Insight, said the reforms are “a significant step forward” but will not resolve the challenge alone, calling for faster decisions, more grid investment, and closer coordination across government, regulators and industry.