Solar energy and the primary sector have shown that they do not only coexist in the same place, but also complement each other. The dual use of the land for agriculture and energy relieves pressure on affected ecosystems and biodiversity when plantations are expanded.
Iberdrola is working on a number of initiatives that combine the installation of renewable projects with the production and use of ecosystem services such as animal husbandry, beekeeping and cultivation of aromatic plants produced in plants. The coexistence of renewable production facilities with these activities is an indicator of commitment to rural employment.
Like this, photovoltaic plants become true havens for biodiversitythrough the creation and preservation of ecosystems and the absence of human activity within the enclosures.
PERSEUS program
Through this international Iberdrola Start-up program, the company supports solutions that combine photovoltaic plants with viticulture, fruit trees, animal welfare and irrigation.. For example, the initiative of the Spanish company EcoEnergías del Guadiana has developed a pilot project to combine the cultivation of tomatoes under fixed or retractable structures supporting solar panels, making it possible to reduce heat stress on plants and reduce hail damage. save water and improve harvest results.
The Winesolar project, which emerged from a collaboration between three Spanish companies – Techedge (advanced technological solutions), PVH (producer of tracers and structures for solar panels) and Gonzalez Byass winery, aims to protect vineyards by producing shade. smart tracker Installed in the Gonzalez Byass vineyards in Valladolid and carefully integrated into the landscape, the panels create an ideal microclimate against both thermal and hydric stress.which vines may suffer, bolstering their resilience to climate change.
The dual use of land for energy and agriculture relieves pressure on ecosystems.
Bees and cows in the shade of photovoltaic panels
Another project that respects the environment and biodiversity was realized in Puebla de Guzmán (Huelva) and Nuñez de Balboa (Badajoz). Iberdrola, in collaboration with Tesela Natura, has installed 270 hives with more than 13 million bees in photovoltaic plants. The project, which will continue to be developed at other Iberdrola photovoltaic plants in Spain, aims to demonstrate how the location of pollinators in renewable plants can improve the stability of ecosystems. In photovoltaic parks, bees have land that is free of herbicides and agrochemicals, as weed growth is controlled by grazing. Thus, these initiatives create ecoregions that allow to study how growing aromatic plants – milflores, rosemary, broom and thyme – improves the quality of honey.
In May 2022, new hives were introduced at the C. Arañuelo III photovoltaic plant in the province of Cáceres. This facility produces clean energy to feed the equivalent of 65,000 households annually and will prevent emissions of 41,000 t CO2/year into the atmosphere. Moreover It is located in the dehesa land, which is ecologically classified and ecological sun honey is produced.. This represents a new milestone in the solar honey project run in conjunction with Tesela Natura company, which identifies beekeepers and approves lands that can be pollinated, to create new sources of value creation in photovoltaic solar parks.
On the other hand, The Monte Forgoselo wind farm in Galicia has more than 500 cows and more than a hundred horses. Among the 37 wind turbines that power more than 7,000 homes are a few farmers who let their animals graze freely. In addition, this area has several viewpoints and routes that can be done on foot or by bike. The roads that are kept open for access to the wind farm also benefit the farmers, who can easily climb the mountain to care for the animals.
In Extremadura, the Núñez de Balboa factory in Usagre (Badajoz) grazes more than 1,200 sheep on the property’s grounds, allowing plant species to grow in rotation. This plant has 500 MW of power and is the largest in Europe and the largest in which Iberdrola operates in the world.
A CLEAN AND SUSTAINABLE PLANET
The transition to a carbon neutral economy is a reality for Iberdrola. The company assures that it will be possible to achieve this within a few years, as they deem it technologically feasible, economically feasible and socially necessary. To this end, for 20 years and with an investment of more than €120,000 million, the group is committed to leading this energy transition.
This sustainable energy model Iberdrola, which depends on innovation as well as decarbonization and electrification of the economy, is directly compatible with the circular economy through reducing emissions, using renewable resources for production, improving efficiency, optimizing. use of resources and maximizing the use of waste.