Surge in planning approvals for green energy projects

Planning approvals for renewable energy and battery storage projects have almost doubled over the past year, according to new figures.

More than 45GW of capacity was approved across GB in 2025, enough to power 12.9 million homes.

Data from Cornwall Insight shows that the sharp rise is primarily being driven by battery storage and offshore wind projects.

It said Government efforts to streamline planning processes and prioritise nationally significant infrastructure have helped cut delays and give developers greater certainty.

Robin Clarke, Senior Analyst at Cornwall Insight said the record-breaking surge in planning approvals signals “real momentum in the UK’s energy transition”.

“But approvals alone don’t generate electricity, and we urgently need to move from ambition to actual delivery of these projects,” he added.

“Too much capacity is still stuck in queues or waiting on grid upgrades. Grid bottlenecks remain one of the biggest risks to turning today’s approvals into tomorrow’s power.”