The United Kingdom has witnessed an unprecedented surge in green energy planning approvals this year, with a record-breaking volume of renewable projects getting the green light. New analysis reveals that the total capacity of approved battery, wind, and solar projects in Great Britain soared to 45 gigawatts (GW) in 2025, representing a staggering 96% increase compared to the previous year.
Battery Storage and Offshore Wind Lead the Boom
According to data from the consultancy Cornwall Insight, the remarkable growth was primarily fuelled by applications for new battery storage facilities. Approvals for these crucial projects, which store energy for when the sun isn't shining or the wind isn't blowing, nearly doubled to 28.6GW from 14.9GW in 2024.
In a parallel and significant development, planning consents for offshore wind farms jumped more than sevenfold. After a period of slower progress, approvals leapt to 9.9GW this year from just 1.3GW in 2024. This five-year trend shows a dramatic acceleration, with overall approvals for battery, wind, and solar power rising by more than 400% since 2020.
Government Ambition Meets Grid Reality
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband hailed the figures, stating the government was delivering on its promise to secure Britain's energy independence with clean, homegrown power. "Every project we approve, every investment we make is about getting the country off the rollercoaster of fossil fuel markets, protecting households and lowering bills for good," he said.
However, analysts caution that planning permission is only the first hurdle. Robin Clarke, a senior analyst at Cornwall Insight, noted that while the approvals signal real momentum in the UK's energy transition, many projects could face lengthy delays before they start generating electricity.
"On paper, the UK’s renewables pipeline has never looked stronger," Clarke said. "But approvals don’t generate electricity, and we urgently need to move from ambition to actual delivery of these projects. Grid bottlenecks remain one of the biggest risks to turning today’s approvals into tomorrow’s power."
Reforms Aim to Clear Connection Queues
The current infrastructure, designed for a different era, is struggling to cope with the influx of intermittent renewable generation. Long construction timelines and connection delays have created a significant backlog. To address this, recent reforms have shifted the grid connection process from a "first come, first served" model to a "first ready, first needed, first connected" approach.
This change is designed to weed out speculative "zombie projects" and prioritise viable schemes. Earlier this month, Britain’s energy system operator took drastic action, removing hundreds of projects from the queue to make way for about £40bn-worth of the most promising schemes that can help meet the 2030 zero-carbon power goal.
Clarke welcomed the reforms as a significant step but warned they are not a complete solution. "We need faster decisions, more investment in the grid, and real collaboration between government, regulators and industry. Without that, these record numbers risk becoming just another statistic," he concluded.
The analysis also suggested the 2025 boom may have been partly accelerated by developers rushing to secure approvals ahead of tougher grid connection rules and potential policy uncertainty following upcoming local elections.
