Repsol responds forcefully to Iberdrola’s accusations of eco-posturing and to the criticisms voiced by Teresa Ribera, the vice president and minister for the Ecological Transition. The chief executive officer, Josu Jon Imaz, delivered a strong defense of the company’s strategy to advance the energy transition with every technology that helps decarbonize, not just by electrifying the economy.
“We cannot discard any source of energy. Decarbonization is not solely about electrification,” Imaz stated at the opening of a Repsol and Funseam event, even though his remarks were not originally on the agenda. “More technology and less ideology,” he declared, defending a multi-energy approach that includes investments in renewable power as well as in low-emission fuels, waste recovery, and green hydrogen. His plan targets net-zero emissions by 2050 and aims to keep energy affordable for citizens and businesses through diverse energy sources.
Iberdrola has filed a lawsuit against Repsol, accusing the petroleum giant turned multi-energy group of uncompetitive practices and misleading advertising. The company claims Repsol is engaging in greenwashing by portraying activities as sustainable and eco-friendly when they are not.
“Repsol will not be distracted by a baseless legal case,” replied Imaz. He attributed Iberdrola’s legal move to the electrical utility’s nervousness about competing and its reliance on a regulated environment guided by official regulations. He argued that Iberdrola seeks to curb competition and hinder the growth of a rival operator. “Repsol will continue to grow its electricity customer base and will keep offering society energy solutions for today and for the future. No smoke screens, no ideology, just technology,” he added.
Iberdrola’s complaint to the courts contends that Repsol’s core business remains hydrocarbon exploration and production, while its advertising suggests a sustainable and economic option that is not genuinely available. The complaint also notes that cross-subsidies on fuels give Repsol a price edge. Iberdrola points out that Repsol has become the largest generator of electric power among major Spanish energy players thanks to cross-subsidy strategies on electricity bills and fuel prices.
“Repsol is the Spanish company with the highest greenhouse gas emissions while presenting itself as a leader in sustainability and energy transition. Its campaigns may violate competition law,” Iberdrola argues in the February filing, a point echoed by El Confidencial. The complaint cites language on Repsol’s own site, such as “leading the energy transition,” “fighting climate change at our core,” and “at the forefront of the sector’s battle against climate change.”
Confrontation with Teresa Ribera
After the lawsuit became public, Teresa Ribera appeared to side with Iberdrola, backing the launch of the legal battle. “There is growing frustration with greenwashing reaching the courts,” she wrote on X (formerly Twitter). A day later, Ribera backtracked and described herself as “absolutely neutral,” emphasizing the need for a green agenda that does not confuse the public and recommending that Repsol continue its path toward decarbonization.
Clashes between Repsol and the government have intensified in recent months. Ribera previously accused Imaz of delivering a “negationist” and “delayed” narrative on decarbonization and climate change after his Davos remarks criticizing the European Union’s climate stance and urging policies that consider all technologies to advance decarbonization beyond mere electrification.
“Repsol supports a multi-energy offering and technological neutrality, using all energies to decarbonize,” not only through renewable electricity generation but also through low-emission fuels that can power sectors that cannot rely on electricity alone—industries such as chemicals, cement, pulp, and heavy transport.
“The alternative is to shut down refineries. Minister Ribera, do you want to close refineries that employ 28,000 people in Spain, including direct, indirect, and induced jobs?” Imaz asked. “We stand against the view that industry is a problem. We will fight, tooth and nail, to continue transforming and improving our refineries to reduce their CO2 footprint. I would like, with all sincerity, to have the minister’s support and collaboration on this objective and on this path. Nothing in Repsol will distract us from that goal.”
Imaz defended technological neutrality as the means to keep Spanish industry competitive. “Not as rhetoric, but honestly and clearly, I ask: Do we want industry? Do we want it? Yes or no? I would ask Minister Ribera: do we want industry? We do.”
In recent months, Repsol has even threatened to suspend investments around three billion euros in Spain due to regulatory and fiscal measures pursued by the government, notably the newly introduced windfall tax on large energy groups that affects sales and profits. Repsol remains the company contributing the most to this levy, having paid 443 million last year and projecting around 350 million for the current year.