Renewables developer Forestalia has secured environmental approval from Spain’s Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) for nearly 900MW of wind projects.
MITECO has issued the environmental impact statements on 22 wind as well as two solar photovoltaic projects being developed by Forestalia in the Aragonese regions of Maestrazgo and Gúdar-Javalambre.
The parks and their grid infrastructure will be built in the municipalities of Cantavieja, Fortanete, La Iglesuela del Cid, Mirambel, Mosqueruela, Puertomingalvo, Tronchón and Villarluengo, and in the Castellón municipalities of Portell de Morella, Cinctorres and Morella.
Twenty-two wind projects with an installed capacity of 882.85MW have been approved, along with their corresponding evacuation lines and electrical substations, up to the point authorised by Red Eléctrica de España in Morella (Castellón).
Two photovoltaic plants, in the municipality of Puertomingalvo, which have also received favourable environmental impact statement, total 99 megawatts.
Forestalia will adapt its projects to comply with the conditions of the MITECO resolution.
Of the total of 161 projected wind turbines, the environmental impact statement considers 125 compatible (78% of those planned) and discards 36 (22%).
In addition, Forestalia has modified the location of another 36 positions according to criteria of environmental compatibility, landscape, optimisation of the use of wind resources.
The new positions reduce the visual impact from Cantavieja and Mosqueruela, and improve compatibility in areas of feeders, roosts and with the populations of golden eagles, short-toed eagles, griffon vultures, Egyptian vultures and bearded vultures.
The environmental study includes bird detection systems and automatic wind turbine shutdown, scheduled stops during certain months of the year, schedules and wind speed conditions.
An environmental monitoring plan is also detailed, both in construction and throughout the useful life of the facilities.