The wind sector in Galicia is facing one of its biggest crises, with projects stalled due to judicial decisions that have put the progress of the energy transition in the region on hold.

Manuel Pazo, president of the Wind Energy Association of Galicia (EGA), insists that the solution lies in the proper implementation of the “greater public interest,” over other considerations.

This principle establishes that renewable energy projects must be treated as being of greater public interest to accelerate permit procedures, especially those that tend to be delayed due to legal or administrative issues.

This principle allows balancing the expansion of renewables with other social considerations, such as biodiversity protection, without compromising environmental impact assessments, but ensuring a faster process for deploying key projects.

“Here, both the government, the lawyer, and the ministry responsible, as well as the autonomous communities themselves, must properly transpose the greater public interest,” says Pazo in an interview with Energía Estratégica España, emphasizing the urgency of taking action to prevent the problem from spreading nationally.

A Scenario of Judicial Uncertainty

The High Court of Justice of Galicia (TSXG) has suspended the processing of 66 wind farms representing more than 3,300 MW of power, a significant blow to Galicia’s energy production.

These suspensions stem from a preliminary ruling submitted to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), which questions the validity of the 2013 Environmental Assessment Law, the basis for many renewable projects in Spain.

According to Pazo, this creates uncertainty that could last a year and a half, which jeopardizes the viability of the wind farms.

“We hope Europe will make a decision soon, but in the meantime, wind development is practically halted,” he explains.

Furthermore, the impact of this halt affects renewable energies more broadly, as the 135 authorized wind projects in the region are either under review or stalled.

Half of the expected investment in wind energy in Galicia is on hold, which not only compromises the progress of the energy transition but also the region’s attractiveness for future industrial projects.

Consequences for the Galician Industry

The slowdown in the development of wind farms has direct repercussions on Galicia’s industry, which heavily relies on a stable and affordable energy supply.

In particular, wind energy is seen as a key pillar to provide clean electricity to large manufacturing companies that seek to reduce their carbon emissions and become more competitive in the global market.

With the projects halted, Galicia’s ability to attract and retain industrial investments, which require renewable energy at competitive prices, is at risk.

If the issue is not resolved in the short term, Galicia could see its capacity to generate over 14,000 jobs related to the renewable energy sector affected, as well as lose the opportunity to position itself as a leader in this field.

“We comply with what the law requires, but now we are facing doubts about whether those same laws are correct. This has led us to a crisis of confidence and a paralysis of the sector,” comments the president of EGA.

The Galician wind sector is waiting for a resolution that will allow it to return to normal activity.

However, judicial processes take time, and in the meantime, the impact on industry and employment continues to grow.

“Galicia needs clean and cheap energy to attract new industries and continue its development. If we don’t solve this problem, we are condemning the region to fall behind,” concludes Pazo, making it clear that time is a critical factor in preventing the paralysis of wind energy from causing irreversible damage to the Galician industrial and economic sector.