This week the Generalitat presented several allegations to the Spanish Government regarding the decree that will regulate the auction of marine wind energy. The Department of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda has set up a list of demands with the municipalities that will be affected by the installation of the wind farm in the Gulf of Roses and with the Provincial Council of Girona. The main requirement is to equate the economic criteria with those of socio-environmental impact. Currently, the draft that the Ministry of Ecological Transition is working with states that the economic offer will be a priority with 70%.
“Another one of our priorities is that the Spanish Government takes into account the territory throughout the process”, assured yesterday the secretary of Climate Action, Anna Barnadas. Therefore, the Generalitat has asked that a local representation – both regional and municipal – be included in the technical commission that will evaluate the offers of the renewable energy companies and in the public-private dialogue process, once the tender has been awarded.
The Generalitat and local administrations have also proposed an exhaustive list of non-economic requirements and criteria. The Government’s intention is to ensure that the projects that are developed are more respectful and linked to the environment, and not only the one that generates the most economical energy.
The allegations ask to take into account aspects linked to the design of the project, such as the distance from the coast or the ratio of occupation of the space with wind turbines. It also presents a chapter related to the environmental impact, in which measures are requested to reduce the impact or an independent monitoring of the activity during exploitation. On the other hand, a socio-economic vision is also required, with measures to develop the industry in the area, boost the local economy in general and avoid harming the tourism sector.
The ministry led by Teresa Ribera now has six months to resolve the allegations of the various administrations. After the summer, the specifications for the public tender should be published. The forecast is that the marine wind energy park can come into operation at the end of this decade
Evaluation criteria are also proposed in matters related to the dismantling of the installation. “The duration of the concession is not clear and it would be important that it was aligned with the useful life of the facilities”, commented Barnadas. In addition, measures are proposed to contribute to the quality and safety of the electricity supply in the area, maritime safety, and to take into account the participation of public companies in the social capital of the project promoter.
One of the key factors will be whether the auction will be carried out in a joint way for all territories or will be done by zones. The Generalitat wants each tender to be done individually, because it considers it to be more environmentally friendly. “The various areas established by the Spatial Management Plan (POEM) have particularities, especially with regard to biodiversity, which must be taken into account”, says the secretary of Climate Action. In this sense, the Generalitat wants to design a test park before 2030 to collect environmental information.
