Promoting the acceptance of renewable energies in the face of the animosity raised in some regions by the installation of photovoltaic solar plants or wind farms is one of the fundamental milestones of the left-wing parties ahead of the general elections on 23-J. PSOE and Sumar agree on their roadmap to seek greater participation of local communities in the use of projects, as is already applied in Catalonia.
The socialist party proposes the creation of a law to identify, together with the autonomous communities and local entities, the ideal areas for the development of renewables. The objective is to provide access to benefits to local communities, guaranteeing respect for the environment. For its part, Sumar goes one step further and raises a specific quota in future ‘green’ energy auctions for facilities promoted by local entities, citizens or cooperatives for local electricity consumption.
There is not a day that renewable energies are not talked about and this year they have even sneaked into the Goya Awards gala. “Renewables yes, but not like this,” Rodrigo Sorogoyen protested against the installation of four wind farms in the Sabucedo mountains when he received the award for best director for ‘As Bestas’. The words caused a stir in the sector. The companies defend that they carry out strict environmental studies and that they are forced to obtain a positive Environmental Impact Statement (DIA). Even if the DIA is favourable, the Government or the autonomous community may impose mandatory conditions (without them the rest of the administrative authorizations for the processing would not be obtained), such as the reduction of the surface area occupied or the volume of equipment to install
Extension to projects in transit
The Ministry for the Ecological Transition manages the process for projects of more than 50 MW or affects two or more autonomous communities, while the latter is in charge when the capacity is lower. According to the Executive, currently, throughout the national territory there are renewable projects totaling 43 GW of power (80% photovoltaic and 20% wind) that must obtain construction authorization or decline and start the entire administration process again. after obtaining the access permissions and connection to the network again. The deadline to obtain this permit was July 25, but the Ecological Transition has given a six-month extension due to the bureaucratic logjam.
Under such a number of projects, the Executive has been insisting on the need for developers to seduce local communities to avoid rejection of the installation of new plants. For example, the main opposition that photovoltaic technology finds among society is the emotional factor. “People who go for a walk in the countryside want to see it as it was 10 or 30 years ago, but not with a solar panel. The emotional motive is legitimate and we cannot combat it with reasons. We have to find a way to manage this negative emotional perception to understand that it is this or not to exist, it is this or not to have energy, this or lose population,” argue sources in the sector.
In Catalonia, the regulations oblige project developers (whether solar or wind) with power greater than 5 megawatts (MW) and located on undeveloped land, must demonstrate the availability, or availability commitment, of more than 50% of private agricultural land on which the installation is projected. In addition, to request the declaration of public utility together with the prior administrative and construction authorization, and the environmental impact declaration, they must prove that they have, at least, agreements with the owners of 85% of the private area that is intended occupy with the project.
Companies are also required to present a local participation offer of 20% of the installation. In this sense, ‘crowdfunding’ in renewables is gaining strength as a way of democratizing access to investment and ‘fintech’ platforms have begun to proliferate in Spain that help investors and developers to develop facilities with the aim that the Citizens also participate in the green ‘boom’ in the country.
From the Spanish Photovoltaic Union (UNEF) they have always been motivated that a renewable installation leaves the greatest socioeconomic impact on the municipality where it will be developed. However, they prefer that the rules of the game be set between the promoter and the municipality itself, without there being a minimum standard. The general director of the association, José Donoso, explains that a good way for local people to benefit would be for the promoting companies to issue bonds of about 500 euros with returns above inflation.
know the reality
“That these bonds are safe, without risk for the investor and that they are liquid to be able to recover them at any time. It is the most democratic way for the benefits to reach more people,” explains Donoso in conversation with La Información. Along the same lines, from the Wind Energy Association (AEE) urges to know what is the reality of the acceptance of wind energy by citizens to differentiate between what is noisy and what is real.
“We have recently carried out a public opinion study on wind power in Spain and eight out of ten Spaniards are in favor of the construction of new wind farms in our country and considering that wind power helps reduce the price of electricity. In addition, 84% of Spaniards believe that increasing the weight of renewable energies, such as wind power, would contribute to achieving energy independence as a country,” they add from the employers’ association. For the wind sector, it is also crucial that, even if it happens that social acceptance is majority, the promoter “respects at all times the sensitivities of the people, of the municipalities, the value they give to aspects such as their landscape, and clearly understand the reluctance in the face of changes in the environment”.
‘Milestone rate’
On the other hand, the Popular Party promises that it will unblock the process of granting permits for the installation of renewable projects. To do this, it will impose a ‘milestone fee’ that, charged to the project promoter, finances the extra cost produced by the bureaucratic jam in the Administration and so that it can streamline the management of the files. In addition, the formation of Alberto Núñez Feijóo affirms that it will map the entire national territory to determine the greater or lesser needs for environmental evaluation that are required in each area.
In an interview with this medium, Feijóo’s economic chief, Juan Bravo, explains that “it is not a tax on renewables”, but a processing tax that seeks to offset the extra cost that the enormous paperwork entails for the administrations. “The sector agrees, dividing it by milestones allows projects that fail due to a technical or environmental issue, not to pay for the entire project. Some confusion has been generated, we want to support renewables and this will provide communities with autonomous to speed up their processing”, underline.
On its side, Vox assures that it will reinforce the reports of environmental impact and land use so that, “prior installation of renewable energy macro-projects”, they assess their impact on natural heritage and their compatibility and impact on human activities in the environment. . “We will protect the land, especially the agricultural land, to avoid speculation with it in the implementation of renewable energy infrastructures,” they point out from the formation of Santiago Abascal.
