Ecologists accuse the Government of "selling" a solar moratorium while continuing to authorize macro-parks on rural land

PalmaThe platform 'Renewables yes, but not like this' and the association 'Friends of the Vall de Coanegra' have accused the Government of authorizing photovoltaic projects on rural land in Mallorca while it "campaigns" on the recent approval of a moratorium for new installations of this type.

The entities have pointed out that the moratorium included in the Urgent Law for the acceleration of strategic projects has no retroactive effect and, therefore, does not affect facilities that already had access and connection permits before the entry into force of the norm.

In this regard, they have denounced that there are around 90 photovoltaic projects in processing on rural land in Mallorca that would occupy more than 1,500 hectares. As an example, they have highlighted the recent authorization of the Casera and Bresca group, in the municipality of Santa Maria, promoted by the company Green Power Espanya SL. The project will occupy about ten hectares of rural land on the Cabàs estate, will have nearly 16,400 solar panels and an installed capacity of 8.8 megawatts, in addition to planning for a second phase with storage systems using lithium batteries.

The environmental organizations maintain that the affected estate maintains agricultural activity and receives aid from the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), for which reason they consider that the installation is incompatible with an energy transition based on the preservation of agricultural land and food sovereignty. They have also rejected the lack of specific energy and territorial planning that determines the most suitable areas for this type of infrastructure.

Both entities have also pointed out that the Santa Maria City Council has opposed the large photovoltaic parks planned on rural land in the municipality and that they have submitted a series of allegations, which, as they stated, have not been addressed by the Executive.