Local Council Objects to Regional Renewable Energy Zoning
The Ajuntament d'Igualada (Igualada City Council) has formally submitted objections to the Pla Territorial Sectorial per a la Implantació de les Energies Renovables a Catalunya (PLATER), a regional plan led by the Catalan Institute of Energy (ICAEN) under the Department of Territory, Housing and Ecological Transition. The council's stance supports renewable energy deployment but insists it must not compromise the city’s future urban growth, agricultural land, or natural spaces. Miquel Vives, spokesperson for the municipal government, outlined five key concerns in the council’s formal objections. He stressed the need to prioritise solar installations on rooftops and already-developed land, protect strategic land for future urban expansion, preserve agricultural soil and ecological connectors, and ensure the PLATER plan reflects the complex urban realities of individual municipalities like Igualada.
Support for Renewables with Local Safeguards
The council emphasised it is not opposing the energy transition. It has actively promoted renewable energy and energy efficiency across public facilities, including sports, educational, civic, and administrative buildings. By 2027, 24 photovoltaic installations are expected to generate 15% of energy consumption in these facilities, with a combined capacity of 800 kWp. Since 2022, the council has offered reductions on the Property Tax (IBI) for homes with self-consumption systems, leading to 530 residential solar installations (1,700 kWp). The city has also extended the maximum distance allowed for collective self-consumption schemes to five kilometres. In the industrial and economic sector, around 2,000 kWp have already been installed on building roofs.
Five Key Areas at Risk Under PLATER
The PLATER plan allocates 39.8 hectares (38.4 ha solar, 1.4 ha wind) in Igualada to meet 2050 renewable targets. However, the council warns that Igualada’s municipal area is only 8.29 km², with very limited land available for future development. The provisional zoning map threatens five critical areas:
- Sant Jaume Sesoliveres – One of the few available zones for planned residential growth, linked to green corridors and the Vies Blaves sustainable mobility network. Development here would harm ecological connectivity in the Anoia basin.
- Pla de la Massa – A green buffer zone between residential areas and the future PDUAECO industrial sector. Preserving it reduces noise, visual impact, and environmental harm to nearby residents.
- Turó de les Guixeres – Classified as land of special protection and natural interest. A key visual landmark on the northeast approach to the city, altering it would damage both ecological value and local identity.
- Can Roca de la Pedrissa / Casa Nova / Southeast – Farmland of medium to moderate agricultural value that ensures ecological permeability and connects open spaces with the Òdena stream and Vies Blaves.
- Pla del Pare Mariano – High-value agricultural land also used for recreation, including walking, cycling, and sports. It is closely linked to the Green Ring (Anella Verda) and the Anoia Vies Blava route.
Concerns Over Wind Turbine Placement
The council raised specific concerns about the proposed location of onshore wind installations. The site is only about 450 metres from established residential areas in Pla de la Massa and Sant Jaume Sesoliveres, and is close to the A-2 motorway. The council argues this violates recommended setback distances and servitudes for major transport routes, potentially affecting residents’ quality of life.
We say yes to renewables, but first on rooftops and artificial land. We must not mortgage the land needed for the city’s future growth.
By submitting these objections, the Igualada council reaffirms its commitment to the energy transition while demanding that the Catalan government adopt a model that respects local territorial specificities, environmental sustainability, and long-term urban planning.
Primary sources: icaen.gencat.cat. Reported by InfoAnoia.cat.
