The criticism follows a proposal by five EU nations, including Spain, to tax the extraordinary profits generated by the energy price spikes triggered by the conflict in Iran.
Reuters reported exclusively on Saturday that the finance ministers of Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Austria jointly requested an EU-wide tax in a letter to the European Commission, stating the measure could help fund relief for consumers hit by high energy prices.
According to the AEE, renewable energy, particularly wind power, has proven to be the most effective mechanism for keeping prices in check in Spain, one of the European leaders in wind energy deployment.
"(...) requesting new potential taxes that impact the power sector creates legal uncertainty and scares off investors, at the very moment when it is most necessary to bet on technologies like wind power as a substitute for imported fossil fuels," the association said in a statement.
The AEE represents more than 350 members, including utilities Iberdrola, Endesa, Acciona, and Portuguese energy firm Galp, as well as developers, turbine manufacturers, consultancies, financial institutions, and insurers.
(Reporting by Emma Pinedo; editing by Andrei Khalip and Ros Russell; Spanish editing by Tomás Cobos)
