Governments and regional administrations are backing a large slate of new renewable energy plants, with energy companies under tight deadlines to protect their milestones. Connecting to the electricity grid could push projects back into a lengthy, five-year bureaucratic loop that could wipe out early gains.
In recent months, the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the regional branches have been rushing to assess hundreds of wind and solar submissions ahead of the January 25 deadline for environmental impact statements (EIS).
These steps mark just one part of a multi-stage process energy firms must complete before plants can begin operations. After an environmental declaration is granted, most projects in the pipeline require approval from central government for projects larger than 50 megawatts (MW), or from regional authorities for smaller schemes. Preliminary administrative permits must be secured by April 25, followed by building permits by July 25.
The emphasis is on a smoother process for the renewable sector over the next six months, contrasting with the slower, more contentious procedures seen with the DIA. Yet wind and solar developers warn that bottlenecks will shift later in the year, and a cluster of approvals could still slow the industry. The risk is that the coordinating burden falls on a handful of suppliers and contractors, forcing facilities to be operational by June 25, 2025 to stay on track.
avalanche in two years
The limited transparency of some regional governments makes it hard to gauge total green project activity today. Industry estimates indicate a mix of positive DIAs and ongoing processing at facilities sharing power between 50,000 and 60,000 MW. All these schemes must be under construction within two years of receiving building permits in midyear, a target many in the energy sector believed impossible a short time ago.
To meet the objective of deploying all new renewables planned for this decade within two years would require a significant acceleration of construction activity beyond recent national figures in the PNIEC and the broader Spanish market. A well-known industry executive, José Donoso of UNEF, voiced a common sentiment when he said the deadlines could be unrealistic given current conditions.
The renewables sector also warns that supply chains could be saturated as thousands of facilities race to break ground. Banks have begun negotiations for financing, a process that often takes six months, following permit grants in July. Moreover, the steps to gain access to transmission and distribution networks add another six months, with completion only in sight after construction starts, potentially forcing firms to finish by late 2024 or early 2025 to be ready by June of that year. “There is real concern about pushing all this construction forward in just two years,” noted José María González Moya of APPA Renovables, who warned of persistent supply chain issues.
The challenge extends beyond obtaining solar panels or wind turbines on schedule. It includes securing contractors, transporting gear, securing cranes, and ensuring adequate labor—services already stretched thin to prepare plants. Industry voices emphasize the difficulty of timely delivery of current transformers for substations, with delivery timelines stretching 18 to 22 months.
Some industry leaders advocate extending deadlines where bottlenecks persist, arguing that a four-year horizon makes more sense than a two-year sprint. Donoso of UNEF suggested that extending timelines would be prudent, while APPA’s managing director agreed that flexible milestones could reduce unnecessary pressure while keeping progress intact.
Measures against speculation
For promotional purposes only renewable projects, there is a push to curb speculative activity and focus on viable investments. The government has mandated that developers meet interim milestones and secure gradual authorization, within a maximum five-year window from the time access to the network is granted.
A nine-month moratorium and some form of amnesty for select milestones were introduced by the Ministry of Ecological Transition under Vice President Teresa Ribera, allowing partners who paused their plans to reclaim guarantees. Officials have stated they will not extend deadlines again.
Industry observers estimate that only a handful of speculative projects will remain in the final years of the process, with most remaining schemes genuinely near construction. They emphasize that the government should consider more flexible timing, noting that a need to accelerate won’t disappear if permits and financing align more realistically. As one APPA leader put it, the core issue is not just about supporters but about the country’s broader energy strategy.