AI-assisted environmental permitting

Introduction

The Danish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) modernized its environmental permitting process by implementing a fully digital and AI-assisted system, improving efficiency, transparency, and compliance while accelerating approvals for renewable energy projects

Case metrics

Key statistics

8

months to fully deploy the digital permitting solution

50%

estimated reduction in permitting processing time

3

key steps in the Danish approach to permitting

The challenge

Modernizing environmental permitting to support renewable energy expansion

The Danish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for issuing environmental permits that ensure compliance with national and international regulations, including those concerning renewable energy projects.

The permitting process plays a crucial role in Denmark’s transition to clean energy, requiring careful assessment to balance environmental protection with the need for rapid renewable energy deployment. However, the traditional permitting process faced challenges related to efficiency, transparency, and administrative burden.

Permitting large-scale renewable energy projects, such as offshore wind farms, required extensive documentation, inter-agency coordination, and stakeholder consultations, often resulting in long processing times. This inefficiency created bottlenecks, delaying projects critical to achieving Denmark’s climate goals. The Danish EPA needed a structured, digital solution to streamline permitting procedures while maintaining regulatory integrity and ensuring timely approvals.

The solution

Implementing a fully digital and AI-assisted permitting system

To modernize and accelerate the permitting process, the Danish EPA implemented a fully digital environmental permitting system based on cBrain’s F2 platform. The system was designed to provide a standardized and structured workflow that transformed the entire permitting lifecycle. One key feature of the solution was a collaboration hub where applicants could pre-register projects, submit documentation, and track approval progress. By integrating all steps of the permitting process into a single platform, the system eliminated inefficiencies associated with manual document handling and decentralized communication.

The new system digitized and automated key aspects of the permitting workflow, including environmental impact assessments (EIA) and inter-agency consultations. Checklists and structured case management tools ensured that applications followed a clearly defined process, reducing delays caused by incomplete submissions. The solution was fully deployed within eight months, demonstrating that environmental permitting can be digitized effectively and at scale.

To further optimize the permitting process, the Danish EPA worked with cBrain to incorporate AI-powered functionalities. AI-assisted tools were introduced to analyze case law, identify patterns in previous applications, and provide insights to both case workers and applicants. This enabled more accurate and efficient decision-making, reduced repetitive administrative tasks, and helped applicants submit complete and compliant applications from the outset, thereby minimizing the need for revisions and re-submissions. The AI integration also supported caseworkers by summarizing key regulatory insights, enhancing the consistency of decision-making, and reducing processing times.

Thus, the Danish approach to environmental permitting now consists of three key steps:

Describe – Using the Digital Bureaucracy Method, the process is mapped out to ensure transparency, compliance, and efficiency in regulatory workflows.

Digitize – Standard software, such as the F2 platform, is implemented to automate workflows, integrate case management, and streamline permitting processes.

Train – AI is deployed on-premise to enhance decision-making by analyzing case law, identifying patterns, and improving regulatory consistency and efficiency.

The result

Accelerating approvals while strengthening compliance and transparency with AI

The digital transformation of the Danish environmental permitting process has improved efficiency, transparency, and compliance. By transitioning from a traditionally lengthy and manual process to a fully digital and AI-assisted system, the EPA has been able to process applications faster while maintaining regulatory integrity. The structured workflow has eliminated bottlenecks, ensuring that permits are reviewed and approved in a timely manner.

The centralized platform has improved coordination among agencies and stakeholders, reducing uncertainty for project developers. Applicants now have real-time access to their application status, improving predictability in the permitting process. Additionally, the integration of AI has enhanced regulatory decision-making by providing caseworkers with access to historical data and analytical tools, improving both accuracy and efficiency.

By leveraging digital tools and AI-driven insights, the Danish EPA has established a scalable and replicable model for modernizing environmental permitting. The new system not only accelerates approvals for renewable energy projects but also ensures that environmental regulations are enforced with greater consistency and reliability. The transformation of the permitting process serves as a model for other agencies seeking to optimize complex regulatory procedures while supporting national and international climate goals.

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