If licensing is accelerated through open processes and a series of quick steps, around 1 TW of solar and wind generation could be built globally over the next three years.
That's according to the Global Solar Council (GSC) and Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), which are calling for stronger investment signals and faster approvals to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy to address the energy and climate crises.
Most of the 1TW projects that could be built rapidly in the next three years are in the G20 countries, the US, China, India and Australia, with 100-200 GW each, according to a statement released by the trade associations.
Countries with more than 10 GW of projects are Brazil, United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico, Spain, South Korea, Philippines, Japan, France, Sweden, Poland, Vietnam and Germany.
If licensing and grid access for large-scale renewable energy projects are accelerated, these solar and wind projects could be operational by 2023 and 2025, making a significant contribution to energy security, affordability and emissions reduction, GSC and GWEC said.
"The experience of Covid-19 has shown that large-scale physical and digital infrastructures can be combined in the national interest. This urgency should be applied to the transition from fossil fuels in the energy sector", - you can read the joint statement here.
Unions have called on governments to quickly review solar and wind turbine projects to determine whether they can give the green light for construction within the next one to three years.
Additionally, there should be a maximum delivery period to allow new projects, which should be 1.5 years for solar power plants and six months for retrofits.
Other steps unions are taking to facilitate permitting include increasing investment in government staff and resources and creating dialogue between local governments, communities and industry to ensure an understanding of priorities and challenges between project approval and construction.
The GSC and GWEC announcement coincided with last week's G20 summit in Indonesia.
"G20 policymakers must take concerted and decisive steps to facilitate the licensing of renewable energy projects and clean technologies such as solar and wind that can provide secure energy for all at low cost," said Gianni Chianeto, GSC.
