Obtaining a special license is one of the basic requirements facing an investor in wind farms. How to obtain such a concession? Much depends on the circumstances of the specific case, but one thing is certain: only solidly prepared documentation allows the procedure to pass smoothly.
Obligation to obtain a license
According to Article 3 of the Law on Renewable Energy Sources, undertaking and carrying out business activities in the production of electricity from renewable energy sources requires obtaining a license under the terms and conditions set forth in the Energy Law. This is a rule from which only four exceptions are provided. Concessions do not have to be obtained by those generating electricity in a micro-installation; in a small installation; exclusively from agricultural biogas; exclusively from bioliquids.
Of course, it may be that the wind farm will be a micro or small installation. If this is the case, the investor will not need to obtain a license. It is worth noting, therefore, that by micro-installation – in the reality specific to wind power plants – the legislator means an installation of a renewable energy source with a total installed electrical capacity of no more than 50 kW, connected to a power grid with a rated voltage of less than 110 kV. A small installation, on the other hand, is an installation of a renewable energy source with a total installed electrical capacity of more than 50 kW and not more than 1 MW, connected to the power grid with a rated voltage lower than 110 kV.
Concession for a wind power plant – how to get it?
In most cases, however, the construction of an onshore wind farm involves the need to obtain a license. The conditions for its granting – which are, in fact, heavily elaborated – are defined by the Energy Law. From a practical point of view, the key is for the investor to demonstrate that he
has financial resources in an amount that guarantees the proper performance of the activity, or documents the ability to obtain them;
possession of technical capabilities that guarantee the proper performance of the activity;
not being in arrears in the payment of taxes constituting income to the state budget.
The license in question is issued by the President of the Energy Regulatory Authority, after conducting the relevant proceedings. The better the investor prepares the relevant documentation, the greater the chances that he will receive such a license, and the procedure itself will not take longer than necessary.