The Interior Ministry opposes new laws that would speed up permits for solar panels and energy storage systems, citing missing safety rules.
The proposed changes would allow businesses to get automatic building permits for solar installations without normal checks. Parliament’s energy committee discussed the plans in June and continues reviewing them.
The ministry supports making permits easier to get but wants clear safety standards first.
Ministry wants stricter rules before approving changes
One proposal would give automatic permits to small and medium businesses installing solar panels. The ministry says this lacks basic requirements like location checks and property ownership verification.
Stronger concerns exist over automatic permits for energy storage and data centres at renewable energy sites. Fire services and environmental officials want specific safety conditions before approving such installations.
The ministry notes that safety frameworks remain unclear for these facilities.
New regulations expected in September
The Interior Ministry is preparing new rules that will set conditions for energy storage installations at existing renewable energy projects. These rules will specify when building permits are not needed.
The ministry recommends changing the proposed laws to let the Interior Minister set technical requirements through regulations. These would include safety distances, fire protection zones, and water tank requirements.
MPs Kyriakos Hadjigiannis, Nikos Sykas and Michalis Giakoumi submitted the proposals.
Read more: