MILAN, July 23 (Reuters) – Italy’s Constitutional Court ruled that a Sardinian law freezing authorisations for renewable energy projects in areas classified as “non-suitable” was unconstitutional, removing a key obstacle to solar and wind development on the island.
The news is another setback for Sardinia’s attempts to curb renewable energy projects through regional laws despite the president of its regional government repeatedly voicing concerns that many green projects for the island are promoted by “speculators”.
In a ruling published on Thursday, the court said Sardinia’s blanket freeze on permits until the adoption of regional regulations exceeded the region’s legislative powers and conflicted with national and European principles aimed at meeting energy transition targets.
“Energy transition must be pursued through a balanced approach that safeguards the landscape and territorial planning while supporting renewable energy development without disrupting the authorisation framework established by the state,” the court said.
Judges also found that Sardinia’s freeze violated constitutional principles of equality because it halted permit procedures indiscriminately, regardless of the stage of review, investments made or legitimate expectations of developers.
The ruling said areas deemed non-suitable are not subject to an absolute ban on renewables projects, but only lose access to simplified permit procedures, meaning projects must still be assessed through ordinary authorisation processes.
(Reporting by Francesca LandiniEditing by David Goodman)
