The recent judgment by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) confirms that Spanish and Galician Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) legislation does not breach the European Directive, and that there is no requirement to open a new public consultation period after incorporating sectoral reports, provided the public has been engaged at an early and meaningful stage. The ruling removes one of the principal legal barriers that had stalled 92 wind farms in Galicia, with a combined capacity exceeding 2,500 MW and an estimated investment of 3 billion. SIn Galicia, the administration has done things correctly.
This paves the way for renewable projects, but not automatically; we will have to wait for rulings in each of the pending cases," says Carmen Callao Buatas, a lawyer specialising in environment, energy and waste. Speaking to Strategic Energy Europe, she notes that the preliminary question raised by the TSXG is now resolved, preventing further appeals on that basis. The economic and energy impact is substantial.
According to figures from the Xunta, reactivating these projects could create up to 20,000 direct and indirect jobs and make a decisive contribution to Spain reaching the 62 GW of wind power target set in the PNIEC 20232030. At present, the country has 32,610 MW installed, meaning it will need to almost double its capacity within the next five years, adding 4.9 GW annually from 2025. According to Fernando Blanco Silva, engineer and associate at the Ibero-American Institute of Energy Engineers, "administrative permits for around 1,700 MW in Galicia are being released, but that does not mean they will be built straight away, as some projects are not viable and others still require additional procedures, such as grid connection lines. The expert warns that circumstances vary, and in some cases wind farms already have approval but the associated infrastructure is still awaiting consent. From the private sector, Luis Caamaño Martínez, Managing Director Europe at ECOENER, states that "this is a very important ruling and will unblock many projects in Galicia whose permits were under appeal. He adds that, although the unblocking is not automatic, "it will allow judges to issue rulings much more quickly; for the wind sector, it is complete backing, as well as for the positions also supported by the Xunta de Galicia"s government. The ruling, hailed by the Asociación Empresarial Eólica as a "key step in restoring legal certainty", also sends a clear message to investors and financiers: Galicia is once again a more predictable landscape for wind development. Nevertheless, developers will still need to manage their projects with precision, anticipate grid connection requirements, and enhance social engagement, as organisations such as Petón do Lobo and Adega caution that challenges remain, including project fragmentation and the absence of cumulative impact assessments. The Galician experience also provides lessons for other regions.
Avoiding widespread litigation hinges on strong public consultation from the outset, designs that minimise cumulative impacts, and early coordination with authorities and local communities. The CJEU ruling not only reopens projects in Galicia but also establishes a precedent for the entire country at a time when accelerating the deployment of renewables is essential to meeting climate objectives and safeguarding industrial competitiveness.