Skip to content
The Climate Litigation Database

Alten Renewable Energy v. Spain

Geography
International
Year
2018
Document Type
Litigation

About this case

Filing year
2018
Status
Discontinued
Geography
International
Court/admin entity
Arbitral TribunalStockholm Chamber of Commerce
Case category
Suits against governments (Global)Trade and Investment (Global)Rollback of climate-justified measures (Global)
Principal law
International LawEnergy Charter Treaty
At issue
Whether the rollback of subsidies by the Spanish government to the renewable energy sector violates the fair and equitable treatment of the ECT.

Documents

Filing Date
Document
Type

Summary

The case arose from a series of energy sector reforms implemented by the Spanish Government, which affected renewable energy producers. These reforms included a 7% tax on power generators' revenues and a reduction in subsidies for renewable energy production. Alten, the claimant, alleged that these regulatory changes negatively impacted its investments in photovoltaic plants in Spain. The dispute pertains to the electricity and energy supply sector, classified under renewable energies. The arbitration was discontinued before any decision on liability was rendered. Alten sought €59.40 million (approximately $69.00 million USD) in compensation for the alleged losses. The claimant alleged violations of international investment agreements, particularly the Fair and Equitable Treatment (FET) / Minimum Standard of Treatment (MST) standard, including claims related to denial of justice. Since the case was discontinued, no breaches were found, and no decision on liability was made.