According to EDP's CEO, where does the main bottleneck lie for accelerating renewable energy investment in the EU — at the European Commission level or within member states?

The main bottleneck lies with EU member states — specifically their regional and local governments — not with the European Commission or Brussels. As stated by EDP CEO Miguel Stilwell d'Andrade, 'The problem is not Europe. It's much more up to the member states and to the regional and local governments than Europe. It's really about execution on the ground.' He emphasized that despite EU-level permitting reforms adopted after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, countries including Portugal, Poland, and Italy have yet to fully implement them, resulting in multi-year environmental permitting delays that stall investment decisions.

How long do renewable energy projects typically take to secure permits versus construction in Europe, according to EDP?

According to EDP, renewable energy projects in Europe can take four to six years to secure permits, while the actual construction typically takes only 12 to 18 months. This stark disparity highlights how permitting delays — not technical or financial constraints — are the primary obstacle to deployment, as noted in the company's January statement cited in the article.

EDP Chief Says EU Governments, Not Brussels, Slowing Renewable Energy Investment

Jul 16, 2026

EDP CEO Miguel Stilwell d'Andrade attributes slow renewable energy investment to national permitting delays rather than EU policy. The company plans €12 billion in investments between 2026 and 2028 to expand capacity and networks.

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