The latest forecasts on renewable energy production They have placed To Spain as a great power in Europe. However, the growth of clean sources is not distributed uniformly, letting a large part of the projects concentrate in rural areas. Now, the voices of the protest do not stop growing.
The claim. The massive installation of solar plants in Jaén has reached courts to stop the projects in Lopera, Arjona and Marmolejo. The neighbors and farmers, united on the “Campiña Norte platform against the solar megaplants”, They have denounced The environmental and economic impact of the solar installation. In addition, they have warned that they will cause the felling of more than 100,000 olive trees.
A problem for the entire community. The growth of renewables in Andalusia It is drivenamong other factors, due to its weather conditions, making it suitable for The installation of solar panels. It also has various points for Green hydrogen extractionbecoming a favorable place to renewables. Also, the Junta de Andalucía has declared public utility Multiple renewable generation projects, dismissing allegations of those affected and advancing with forced expropriations to facilitate the installation of these infrastructure.
Symptom of something greater. This phenomenon is not exclusive to Andalusia, since it is a trend that has traveled the entire peninsula. Starting with the teacher, where various communities They have shown His rejection of the proliferation of wind farms, passing through Galicia, where the Superior Court of Xustiza has intervened on multiple occasions in conflicts related to the installation of wind turbines. In fact, the motto “Renewable yes, but not” It has become the cry of a growing movement in rural areas (groups with more than 152 organizations), which, although it does not oppose the energy transition, does require a balanced and respectful development of the territory.
Some produce, others consume. The conflict too shows the gap between the energy producing areas and the large urban nuclei that consume it. On the one hand, the autonomous communities such as Aragon, Extremadura, Castilla-La Mancha or Castilla y León that They are supporting Most of the renewable electricity generation in Spain. On the other hand, the big cities like Madrid that They consume large quantities of energy and almost do not contribute to the electrical system. This asymmetry reinforces the perception in the rural world that renewable development does not translate into direct progress for its communities, but in a negative externalality imposed by the energy needs of the cities.
But and any solution for the field? The big question is whether there are alternatives to advance the energy transition without sacrificing agricultural or protected land. The answer is that yes and it is with the combination of both: The agrovoltaic. In the specific case of Jaén a study has found a solution To distribute the olive grove between panels solar panels, minimizing the impact of photovoltaic shadow on the growth of olive trees. In fact, there are many studies that have shed light on the installation of solar energy in crop fields, and have demonstrated how the shadow can be beneficial for the vegetation, A honey farm, Tomato cultivation And even to wool quality.
Image | E. Crespo and Pexels
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