Governance Processes and Participation in the Installation of Renewable Energy Plants in Galicia

• by OEGA
• 0 Comments

At the end of October, the event titled “Governance Processes and Participation in the Installation of Renewable Energy Plants in Galicia” took place at the CISPAC headquarters in Santiago de Compostela. Organized by the Galician Wind Observatory (GWO), REDS-SDSN Spain, Eudemon, and INSTA – Environmental Legal Services, this event served as an innovative, multisectoral meeting point. It centered on renewable energy production in our Autonomous Community, examining its broad and varied implications.

The meeting aimed to create a multi-actor dialogue space around governance processes and participation in installing renewable energy plants. It was structured around two thematic discussion panels, bringing together different sectors with diverging perspectives. Alongside the dialogue, the session presented recommendations and proposals outlined in a roadmap co-created during the “Renewables with the Territory” initiative sessions.

The first panel, focused on public policy dialogue and multilevel collaboration, featured the mayor of Muras, along with representatives from the Xunta de Galicia, the Spanish Wind Energy Association (AEE), the CC.OO. Union, and the business sector. This forum emphasized the importance of engaging the public in energy initiatives from the earliest stages of development, highlighting how effective communication shapes social acceptance.

The second panel centered on social participation. Here, a representative from Red2Red noted that conflicts often do not stem from technical-economic issues but rather from psychosocial challenges. A representative from ADEGA expressed that Galicia is facing a “wind invasion,” with wind farms encroaching on areas of high environmental value while involving minimal community participation.

A representative from WWF stressed the importance of carefully considering geographical location and advocated for strategic planning of energy facilities, including the designation of priority development areas and exclusion zones.

The representative from the Galician Wind Energy Association observed that, despite wind energy contributing 1% to Galicia’s GDP, the region has experienced 14 years of inaction in this sector. He warned of the adverse effects on investments due to legal uncertainty.

The Wind Observatory’s presentation highlighted that in some years, over 100% of Galicia’s electricity consumption was met by renewable sources, indicating that conflicts extend beyond wind facilities alone. The Observatory also underscored the significant role of hydroelectric power in the region, which has similarly generated social opposition. They noted that the current legal uncertainty stems directly from regulatory changes introduced by the Xunta since 2009. Key factors contributing to this uncertainty and the resulting social opposition include the cancellation of the wind energy tender, the discontinuation of annual calls, excessive market liberalization, and the absence of industrial planning.