In recent years, with the rapid development of renewable energy power generation, new models and new forms of business have emerged in succession. To further standardize the administration of power business licenses for renewable energy power generation projects, the National Energy Administration recently issued the Notice of the National Energy Administration on Further Regulating the Administration of Power Business Licenses for Renewable Energy Power Generation Projects (Guo Neng Fa Zhi Zi Gui 〔2023〕 No. 67) (hereinafter referred to as the Notice).  

The Notice consists of six parts:  

1. Exemption of power business licenses for distributed wind power projects: To further connect with the relevant policies in the Notice of the National Energy Administration on Issuing the Interim Measures for the Development and Construction of Distributed Wind Power Projects(Guo Neng Fa Xin Neng 〔2018〕 No. 30), it is clarified that distributed wind power projects are included in the scope of license exemption and are not required to obtain a power business license.  

2. Clarification of the scope of concurrent positions for relevant management personnel of renewable energy power generation projects: For projects uniformly managed by professional operation and maintenance companies or internal affiliated enterprises of enterprise (groups), the technical directors and financial directors of project operating enterprises are allowed to hold concurrent positions among projects in different provinces; it is emphasized that production and operation directors can only hold concurrent positions among different projects in the same province. Concurrent positions in other situations are not allowed.  

3. Standardization of license registration for renewable energy power generation projects: The registration method for renewable energy power generation projects such as wind power and photovoltaic power generation when applying for a power business license is clarified. Photovoltaic power generation projects are required to be registered in the power business license based on the AC-side capacity (sum of the rated output power of inverters, in MW), which is connected with the Measures for the Administration of Photovoltaic Power Station Development and Construction* issued by the National Energy Administration at the end of 2022.  

4. Adjustment of the license renewal policy for renewable energy power generation projects (units): The relevant work requirements for the license renewal of wind turbines are clarified; for biomass and solar thermal power units that have reached their design life, the license renewal shall be implemented with reference to the policies and standards for the license renewal of thermal power units; hydropower units are not included in the license renewal management for the time being.  

5. Clarification of the administrative responsibilities for power business licenses of enterprises registered in other regions: The responsibility boundaries of relevant dispatched agencies in the administration of power business licenses are stipulated in cases where the location of a renewable energy power generation project is not in the same province as the registration place of the operating enterprise.  

6. Strengthening the management of license data and information for renewable energy power generation projects: A regular verification mechanism for license data and information is established to ensure that the license data and information are true and valid.  

After the issuance of the Notice, it will be matched with documents such as the Administrative Regulations on Power Business Licenses and the Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Power Business Licenses (Guo Neng Fa Zhi Zi 〔2020〕 No. 69) to form a regulatory system covering the entire process of power business license management.  

Source: National Energy Administration