THE PROBLEM OF WIND PARKS

This planning of wind farms is largely located in our inland counties of Terres de l'Ebre and Camp de Tarragona.

This fact forces to open a country debate on the future of the rural world and the world of industry and services, and on the protection of the most productive agricultural estates, because otherwise with all the current procedures it could lead to a landscape mess.

The vast majority of people would agree to be in favor of renewable energy. However, it is necessary to question the way in which they are implemented, in order to avoid breaking territory, we need a territorial rebalancing and a more "democratic" and "participatory" model. That they reverse the quality of life of the people and territory that should host them, quality agriculture, tourism and a quality landscape and oppose the model of high-impact wind massification that is to be imposed.

It must be said that wind energy is considered a green energy, it is a free and inexhaustible energy. It is clear, however, that it also has its limitations and drawbacks. This energy is completely free and anyone can use it, and of course, there is no need to pay any contribution. Too bad it’s an energy that can’t be accumulated! Another problem with this energy is that it is not stable or constant, as sometimes it does not make a drop of wind, and other times it does too much.

The approval by the Government of the Generalitat of the new decree law 16/2019 on renewable energies has given a new impetus to the wind sector that has been paralyzed for years due to regulatory complications to carry out the projects.

The main problem is that the new decree law 16/2019 has left Catalonia without environmental planning for wind energy, as it has repealed Decree 147/2009. Now, developers have the open ban to promote wherever they want with the understanding that they only have to overcome the hurdle of environmental assessment. The Decree Law has put an end to territorial limitations to implement renewables, the number of new projects planned across the country has skyrocketed.

The decree law of urgent measures for the climate emergency and the promotion of renewable energies has been a catalyst to speed up the implementation of green energy projects, through the creation of a new collegiate body: the report of renewable energy. This paper analyzes environmental, urban, landscape, agricultural, energy and cultural heritage issues. With these axes, the paper has given the initial approval to several projects to begin their administrative processing

Once the report has made this favorable statement, the promoters can start processing the file that should make its implementation possible. The authorization corresponds to the department responsible for energy but requires urban planning and environmental impact assessment. The favorable ruling in this phase of prior consultation does not guarantee that, in the process of assessing the environmental impact and the processing of the project, new elements may arise that affect its authorization.

The processing of projects of more than 50 MW is the responsibility of the state and environmentalists complain that large energy companies are splitting wind clusters of more than 100 MW into smaller plants, which have between 30 MW and 50 MW. The "competence gap" that exists in this type of project is used by the promoters to request the authorization of a plant with the same location, both in the Government and the Spanish executive. Projects are presented separately to minimize the impact on natural, cultural heritage and biodiversity. Apart from the destruction of the landscape wealth, the projects do not envisage the creation of any new jobs in the territory.

The new wind farm projects are characterized by fragmentation, as the developers present and project them separately and the associated environmental studies are not proposed in a synergistic way, ie, taking into account the other projects presented or the power plants. existing wind farms, with the aim of facilitating their approval; sometimes the territory is fragmented administratively and straddling counties, so a strategy and planning of wind energy at the national level should be considered.

Wind farm projects are among the first allegations and the desirability of being subject to environmental impact assessment processes. Interested parties can consult the projects submitted on the next Gencat page and, in any case, submit allegations (depending on the project). In this link you will find different models.

The new regulations equate decree 16/2019 with the rank of law and "jumps to the bullfighting regulations of higher rank", such as the revised text of the Law of Urbanism, Law 21/2013 of environmental assessment, Law 42 / 2007 of Natural Heritage and Biodiversity and other state regulations that "put against the ropes the constitutional framework of competences between the State and Catalonia".

In fact, the new decree allows energy, environmental, urban and landscape procedures to be carried out jointly, the installation to be processed with the energy evacuation line on the grid, or hybrid projects to be combined with energy. wind and solar photovoltaic that share the line of evacuation of the electricity generated.

The Decree has put in the tray to the promoters to finish tearing the counties that had already experienced a completely chaotic and disproportionate wind energy implementation, if these new parks end up being installed in the areas already crowded by these facilities, it will be impossible for them to opt for an alternative energy model, more democratic, collaborative and involved in the territory, as provided for in the energy transition law being drafted by the Government.

We believe that energy generation should be brought close to the places where it is consumed to reduce environmental impacts on biodiversity and minimize damage to the landscape that areas such as Terra Alta have suffered. With almost 200 wind turbines installed. "It is completely intolerable to use the argument of the energy transition and the climate crisis to destroy territories where the conservation of its natural values, its landscape and where a socio-economic model based on the capacity to own decision ".

We believe that with the goal of governments reaching 100% of energy from renewable sources by 2050, interest in making wind farms has precipitated. However, it is in cities where 78% of energy is consumed and these only occupy 2% of the territory. To meet the commitments of the energy transition, Catalonia must put into service a minimum of 4,090 MW of new wind generation capacity and 6,270 MW of new photovoltaic solar generation capacity over the next ten years. This would involve an investment of around 3,965,000 euros for the wind part, and 5,568 million euros for the solar photovoltaic part.

We believe that the areas that wind or photovoltaic wind farms should host should be able to decide how, where and when they should be placed. The impact is powerful, environmentally speaking, but also culturally and for economic development. No opinion has been asked of the territory, and all this comes in an imposed manner. Crop parks are projected without the knowledge of the farmers. Territorial energy must be democratized, otherwise the spirit of the decree law is being breached. There are many “manifestly energy-producing” areas, but consumption ends up reverting elsewhere.

Some farmers work land that is not theirs and pay around € 150 / year, the electric companies pay € 1,500 / year per hectare and, if the owner is not from the territory, signs the agreement. The union insists that the energy ban has been "opened" and urges Parliament to regulate it.

The fact that having mills in the village favors the pocket of the City Council, as it means an entry of additional income, but in any case this is also a "perverse" situation that would be solved with better funding from the local administration. If this were the case, one would not have to be tempted to want harmful facilities to have resources that many municipalities now do not have.

The other side of the coin is the negative impact these mills have. It is proven that these infrastructures favor depopulation, and that is just what we are fighting for. We need to repopulate and give vigor to the rural world before we are completely dead.

We believe that the future lies in a model of energy distributed throughout the territory and proximity to both wind energy and other models of low impact and high efficiency based on renewable energy self-consumption.

The lack of an open debate on the possibilities of development of agricultural counties and the rural world in general with such industrial facilities and the lack of proper planning of wind energy can lead to overcrowding. , to the cumulative and synergistic effects, to the overlap of several applications in the same field and to the affection to spaces of ecological importance in spite of not being included in protected zones.

Undoubtedly, all the effects on fauna, landscape and primary activity must be considered, but it is necessary to avoid recurring extreme positions that are not understood to be properly weighed with the needs and advantages for Catalonia.