The Junta declares the green hydrogen project in Villamuriel de Cerrato viable

The Regional Government of Castilla y León has issued the environmental impact statement for the hybrid solar and wind renewable energy plant project for the supply of a green hydrogen production plant in Villamuriel de Cerrato (Palencia), promoted by Hidrógeno Verde Villamuriel, S.L. The resolution is published in the Official Gazette of Castilla y León (BOCYL) No. 194, dated October 6, 2026, via Order AGR/1009/2026, of September 29, with reference BOCYL-D-06102026-194-28 and file EIAO/2025/PA/003.

The text, signed in Valladolid on September 29, 2026, by the Councilor for Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Environment, and Environmental Policy, Joaquín Antonio Pino, provides a favorable report for the project “for environmental purposes only,” conditional upon compliance with the protective and corrective measures of the environmental impact study and the monitoring and surveillance program.

The authority to issue the statement corresponds to the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Environment, and Environmental Policy by virtue of Article 11.2 of Law 21/2013, of December 9, on environmental assessment, and Article 52.1 of the consolidated text of the Environmental Prevention Law of Castilla y León (Legislative Decree 1/2015, of November 12), after assuming environmental competencies via Decree 2/2026, of June 13, on the restructuring of Departments. The proposal was formulated by the Environmental, Urbanism, and Territorial Planning Council of Castilla y León. As a precedent, the Resolution of July 9, 2025, from the Territorial Delegation of Palencia had already determined that the green hydrogen production plant has no significant effects on the environment.

A hybrid solar and wind plant for green hydrogen

The project, with its registered office at Calle Serrano 41 in Madrid, comprises:

• VILLAMURIEL wind farm, 13.2 MW, with 2 SIEMENS GAMESA SG170-6.6 wind turbines of 6.6 MW each, a 170-meter rotor, and a hub height of 115 meters.
• Solar photovoltaic plant of 13.7 MWp over 21.67 hectares, with 26,152 bifacial JINKO JKM525M-7TL4-TV modules of 525 W, 934 strings, and 3 inverters of 4,200 kW.
• Three 5,000 kVA (30/0.66 kV) transformation centers and 30 kV underground power lines of less than 3 km to the hydrogen plant, which is the subject of another project.
• A grid supply installation with a disconnecting device and a 45 kV line to a 2.75 MVA (45/30 kV) transformation center.

The affected plots are located in polygons 508 and 509 of the municipality of Villamuriel de Cerrato. The project was subjected to an ordinary environmental impact assessment as it is included in Annex I, Group 3, “Energy Industry,” of Law 21/2013.

Favorable reports and environmental conditions

The Territorial Service of Industry, Trade and Economy of Palencia submitted the project for public review via an announcement published in BOCYL no. 43, dated March 4, 2025, without any allegations being presented. Affected public administrations and interested parties were consulted, including the Duero Hydrographic Confederation, ADIF, ENAGÁS, i-DE (Iberdrola Group), AEMET, and the City Council of Villamuriel de Cerrato.

The Assessment Report on the Implications for the Natura 2000 Network concludes that the project does not overlap territorially with protected areas and will not cause harm to the integrity of any of them; the nearest site is the SAC ES4140082 “Riberas del Río Pisuerga y afluentes,” 450 meters away. The imposed conditions include:

• Delaying the start-up of wind turbines until wind speeds reach 5-6 m/s during the early night hours from July to October, to reduce bat mortality.
• Using a minimum of 10% by weight of recycled aggregates in construction units where technically possible.
• Planting two specimens for each of the 12 trees affected by the works.
• Periodic archaeological monitoring of earthworks, with intensive surveillance in the vicinity of the “Vía romana de Sasamón” site and the “Colada de la Cascajera” livestock route.

Validity, deadlines, and monitoring

The declaration will lose its validity if the execution of the project does not begin within four years of its publication, extendable upon request by the promoter. The promoter must notify the environmental body of the start dates of the works and the operation of the facility, submit an annual report on the environmental monitoring program, and have the technical collaboration of the Territorial Environmental Service of Palencia.

The file was received on October 9, 2025, and the promoter was heard on June 10, 2026, expressing their agreement on June 16, 2026. The substantive body authorizing the project must send an extract of said decision to the BOCYL within 15 days of the decision to authorize or deny.

The environmental green light clears the main regional procedure for a major industrial energy investment for the province of Palencia, by linking green hydrogen production to its own renewable generation and to strict conditions for the protection of birdlife, soils, and archaeological heritage.

Source: Official Gazette of Castilla y León, no. 194, dated October 6, 2026, section I. Community of Castilla y León – D. Other provisions, pp. 336-360 (official reference: BOCYL-D-06102026-194-28).