WFW secures Spanish Supreme Court El Campelo wind farm win for Greenalia

Watson Farley & Williams successfully represented Greenalia before the Spanish Supreme Court regarding the reinstatement of the previously annulled project authorisation for the El Campelo wind farm in Galicia by the Superior Court of Justice of Galicia (TSJG). This marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing litigation surrounding wind projects in Galicia, unblocking several stalled initiatives in that Autonomous Community.

With Judgment 316/2025, the Supreme Court reaffirmed its position on the environmental assessment of wind energy projects. It reiterated its doctrine on the public consultation process and clarified that the fact that multiple wind farms share evacuation infrastructures does not mean they constitute a single project for environmental purposes – a position previously upheld by the TSJG.

The ruling also underscores the public interest in developing renewable energy sources, in line with EU decarbonisation objectives and the Paris Agreement. This represents a paradigm shift from the traditional tension between wind energy and environmental protection, reinforcing the idea that renewables projects should be considered within the broader framework of climate and sustainability policies.

Greenalia is a Spanish company focused on generating renewable energy from wind, solar and forest biomass sources. Actively involved projects promoting sustainable energy solutions, they have been expanding their operations internationally, including significant new investments in the US market.

The WFW Madrid Energy team was led by Regulatory partners David Diez and Luis González, working closely with Regulatory senior associate Pilar Rozas and senior associate Paula Pérez.

Diez commented: “This judgment marks a pivotal moment in the wind energy litigation saga in Galicia as well as setting a new precedent for the industry in Spain generally. It also highlights Spain’s rigorous commitment to high environmental standards by reaffirming that environmental impact reports, as well as national decarbonisation and sustainability targets, take precedent above all else”.