Alcocero de Mola Wind Farm: Favorable Environmental Report for 78 MW in Burgos

Key data

Iberenova Promociones SAU advances in the modification of one of its wind projects in Burgos with formal support from the Directorate General for Quality and Environmental Assessment. The resolution, published on September 4, 2026 in the BOE (reference BOE-A-2026-18635), issues a favorable environmental impact report for the modification of the Alcocero de Mola wind farm, with a final installed capacity of 78 MW.

The key for the sector: the environmental authority determines that the modification does not require ordinary environmental impact assessment, which eliminates one of the main administrative bottlenecks in the development of renewable projects of this magnitude.

What does this regulation establish?

The resolution approves the modification of the original Alcocero de Mola wind farm project, which contemplated 102 MW of installed capacity. The modified version reduces that figure to 78 MW through the installation of 13 Goldwind GW-165 model wind turbines of 6 MW each, with 7 different positions compared to the initial design.

The reasons that justify the changes are three:

• Compatibility with adjacent mining operations: the commitments made with the holders of adjacent mining activities required relocating several positions.
• Improvement of wind resource utilization: the new design optimizes the capture of available wind resource in the area.
• Reduction of impacts on avifauna and public utility forests: effects on protected species and publicly owned forest lands are minimized.

Regarding evacuation infrastructure, the double circuit overhead line at 220 kV is shared with the photovoltaic project FV Belorado I, which reduces environmental impact by avoiding duplication of electrical lines in the territory.

A relevant fact for the administrative process: the promoter has fully accepted all conditions imposed by the bodies consulted during the processing, which has facilitated the favorable conclusion of the report.

Economic and operational impact

For Iberenova Promociones SAU, the favorable resolution has direct consequences on the project's timeline and viability:

• Without ordinary assessment: by not requiring the ordinary environmental impact assessment procedure, additional months of processing are avoided along with costs associated with complementary studies.
• Assumed capacity reduction: the decrease from 102 MW to 78 MW represents a reduction of 23.5% in installed capacity, with the corresponding adjustment in expected generation and projected revenue from energy sales.
• Evacuation synergies: sharing the 220 kV evacuation infrastructure with the FV Belorado I photovoltaic project reduces construction and maintenance costs of the evacuation line for both projects.
• Legal certainty: full acceptance of the conditions of the consulted bodies minimizes the risk of subsequent challenges that could halt construction.

For the renewable sector in Burgos and Castilla y León, the resolution reinforces the viability of projects that combine wind and photovoltaic energy with shared evacuation infrastructure, a model that reduces costs and environmental footprint simultaneously.

Who does it affect?

• Iberenova Promociones SAU: direct promoter of the project; can advance to the construction phase without the need for ordinary environmental assessment.
• Affected municipalities in Burgos: the municipal areas where the wind turbines and evacuation infrastructure are located.
• Holders of adjacent mining operations: whose compatibility with the wind farm has conditioned the redesign of 7 positions.
• Promoters of the FV Belorado I photovoltaic project: share the 220 kV evacuation line, so the resolution also affects them operationally.
• Renewable energy sector: wind and photovoltaic developers in Spain who closely follow the criteria of the Directorate General for Quality and Environmental Assessment for modification projects.
• Environmental assessment consultancies: the case sets precedent on which modifications in wind projects can be processed without ordinary assessment.

Practical example

A wind promoter who has an authorized wind farm at 102 MW and needs to reduce capacity and relocate positions due to commitments with adjacent industrial activities can follow the Alcocero de Mola model:

1. Redesign the project by reducing capacity (in this case, from 102 MW to 78 MW, a 23.5% adjustment) and changing conflicting positions (7 of the wind turbines).
2. Justify the changes on three axes: compatibility with adjacent uses, improvement of wind resource and reduction of environmental impact.
3. Fully accept the conditions of the consulted bodies to accelerate the resolution.
4. Share evacuation infrastructure with nearby renewable projects (in this case, the photovoltaic FV Belorado I) to reduce impact and costs.

The result: favorable environmental report without the need for ordinary assessment, which can mean savings of several months in the processing timeline and elimination of additional study costs.

What should companies do now?

1. Promoters with wind projects in processing: review whether their projects have conflicts with adjacent uses (mining, public utility forests, avifauna) that can be resolved through justified modification, thus avoiding ordinary assessment.
2. Renewable project developers in Burgos and Castilla y León: analyze the possibility of sharing evacuation infrastructure with nearby photovoltaic projects to reduce costs and environmental impact.
3. Environmental consultancies: study the criteria applied in this resolution as a reference for future processing of wind farm modifications.
4. Renewable investors: assess that the capacity reduction (−23.5%) has been the price to obtain environmental viability without ordinary assessment; calibrate this type of adjustment in your financial models.
5. Affected municipalities: verify that the new positions of the 13 Goldwind GW-165 wind turbines and the 220 kV line route are compatible with current urban planning.

Official source

Consult complete regulation in official source

Notice: This article is merely informative in nature and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-18635