The Legal Protection of the Territory of Catalonia Against Specific Renewable Energy Projects

Over the last few years, Spain has seen a proliferation of renewable energy projects intended to advance the country’s energy transition. The Spanish autonomous community of Catalonia, located in the northwest of the country, has not been an exception to this general picture, and since Catalan Decree-Law 16/2019 (Decreto Ley 16/2019) entered into force, hundreds of wind and solar power projects sited in rural Catalonia have been proposed. The concentration of planned projects in particular areas of Catalonia, the fragmentation of massive projects into smaller ones to avoid less streamlined administrative procedures to deploy them, and their potential impacts on the environment have led the general public to reject their implementation. Striking a balance between respect for territorial integrity and the implementation of large-scale renewable energy projects to minimise the consumption of fossil fuels represents a major challenge for Spain. On numerous occasions, both the public and local authorities have organised to demonstrate, through administrative channels, their opposition to these renewable energy projects in their own municipalities or neighbouring ones. In this context, public participation, environmental laws, urban planning regulations, and decisions made by the courts are of critical importance in ensuring that the energy transition in Catalonia is fair and shared by all.