Luxembourg intends to accelerate the energy transition

A national consultation on "Einfach - Séier - Erneierbar" ("Simple - Fast - Renewable") aimed at developing measures to accelerate the development of wind and solar energy in Luxembourg and simplify administrative procedures was held at the Zenningen Castle on 13 November 2024. The event brought together key participants, including representatives of ministries, chambers of commerce, associations and municipalities.

At the opening of the consultation, Prime Minister Luc Frieden and Ministers Lex Delles, Serge Villemes and Martin Hansen emphasised the importance of engaging all stakeholders to overcome regulatory barriers and support energy innovation. The National Energy and Climate Plan (PNEC) sets ambitious targets, including achieving 37% renewable sources in final energy consumption by 2030.

The consultation identified key areas of work: speeding up the installation of solar panels on public buildings, fixed deadlines for permits, digitalisation of processes and the creation of a single point of contact for renewable energy projects. The revision of subsidies for communes, support for agrivoltaics and the introduction of a common authorisation system for standard wind turbines were also discussed.

Economy Minister Lex Delles noted the importance of this consultation in accelerating the transition to renewable sources, "We are committed to simplifying procedures to do more, faster and in more places." The Minister also responded to a question on whether the siting of solar panels would apply to historic buildings.

The answer is yes, they will, but with strict restrictions. Among the technical requirements are that the panels must be "full black", parallel to the roof, at least 30 cm from the edge and not exceed 10 cm in height above the roof. These measures are necessary to preserve the aesthetics and uniqueness of the buildings. Each project is considered individually to ensure minimal impact on the appearance of the property.