B) WIND-PARKS IN WESTERN CATALONIA: WHERE AND HOW
Introduction In the last decade the renewable energies, and specially wind energy, have had a big impulse by the authorities. It is presented as one of the strategies to confront global warming and to accomplish the Kyoto Protocol. Wind is produced by the temperature and pressure differences in the atmosphere. Up to 100 metres over the earth surface wind is very influenced by the geography. In this way, coastal lines, hillsides oriented to the south (oriented to the north in the southern hemisphere), open lands, etc. present generally favourable conditions to install wind-farms. Even the green image wind energy has, it is not difficult to find unfavourable positions regarding the installation of wind-farms. This opposition can be due the extensive land use of wind-parks, their possible impacts on birds or their visual impact, as well as NIMBY behaviour. Also the process to decide the location of the wind turbines is a source of conflict; furthermore, it can be found depth differences in the energy model proposed by different actors. This case study tries to put in practice a real-world social process of decision making that include several visions in designing, locating and evaluating wind-park alternative location sites. This has been done applying social multi-criteria evaluation. The following main tools have been used: 9 participative experiences to identify actors, their aims and perspectives, 9 a socio-technical process, based on actors’ preferences, of construction of alternatives and elicitation of evaluation criteria, and 9 a technical evaluation of different alternatives with a constant feedback with the social actors involved.
Through this process it is pretended to structure the problem facilitating the access to the information of the possible impacts of the alternatives, in a way that the authorities, the public and the promoters of the wind-parks may find a compromise solution, i.e. a balance between technical aspects with socio-economic and environmental impacts.
The Catalonia Energy Plan The implementation of wind-parks is inserted in the Catalonia Energy Plan for the year 2010, and it deals with the following issues: 9 It analyses the current consumption of renewable energy and the potential production for the year 2010. 9 It develops a model to evaluate projects in an economic and technical way, and 9 It states the goals of energy production from renewable energy sources, for the year 2010.
The plan also makes a prospective study of the renewable energy technologies, and explores the barriers (technological and non-technological) for its implementation.
Present use of renewable energies The total amount of production of electricity, coming from renewable sources, has reached 4’920 GWh in year 2000, representing the 12.9% of the gross electricity
1 production. Figure 1 shows the actual distribution of renewable energy uses in Catalonia for year 2000.
Evaluation of the potential of renewable energy sources
This evaluation was made based in a Solar Wind model called REGIS (based on GIS). This 1,4% Forest and heating model associates specific data related to farming 0,2% renewable energies (hydroelectric centrals, biomass 17,2% solar installations census, solar radiation, Biogas wind atlas, etc.) and the territory 1,1% (edification, water courses, natural interest Urban and spaces, forest, communication ways, etc.), solid Hydraulic waste allowing to do an integrated analysis of four 62,7% types of renewable energies: solar, 17,4% hydraulic, wind and biomass energies. The REGIS model is able to simulate Figure 1. Distribution of renewable energy uses in scenarios in concrete zones, and it gives the year 2000. information of energy production, primary (Source: Catalonia Renewable Energy Plan) energy saving and emissions of CO2 and SO2 that can be avoided.
Wind energy The analysis of this kind of energy is done focusing on large scale energy production, and promoting the installation of wind equipment in isolated zones. The energy production from wind reached 103.7 GWh in the year 2000, having a power utilization index of 22%, i.e. 1’925 equivalent functioning hours a year. The wind energy has a participation of 0.27% of the total amount of electricity produced in the year 2000 in Catalonia. The main energy source for electricity production is the nuclear energy, which contributes with a 62.3%. The combined cycle power plants generate 17.7% and an 11.9% comes from hydroelectric plants.
The eolic atlas This atlas was made in 1988 (Figure 2), and it has been used measurement points every 278 km2, 60 times the European map intensity. From this map it is clear to see two windy zones, in the Northern and Southern of Catalonia, and only the 2.6% of the territory having wind speeds over 6 m/s. It is important to say that this tool is only for orientation purposes. In order to project a windpark it is necessary to make specific measures. Figure 2. Eolic map of Catalonia (Source: Catalonia Renewable Energy Plan)
2 Environmental criteria to install wind parks The Catalonia Renewable Energy Plan considers, on the one hand, as environmental impacts related to wind-parks the following aspects: visual impact, noise, and impact over fauna (temporal displacement of animals and birds collisions). It also says that an environmental impact assessment is needed to approve the installations. On the other hand, it declares the Natural Interest Spaces (natural parks) as non compatible territories with windparks. Figure 3 presents a “traffic-lights” map showing the compatibility of windfarms with certain zones of Catalonia.
However, the Catalonian government claims that there are no objective criteria to Incompatible zone evaluate the implementation of windparks yet. Conditioned zone Consequently, local criteria normally prevail Figure 3. Map of theCompatible implementation zone of the wind energy in Catalonia over global criteria, and the political and Source: Gencat. administrative structure of Spain fosters this situation.
Future projections These projections were made based in two future scenarios developed in Gencat (2000). The BASE scenario considers the actual trends and the other one (IER) considering positive outcomes from different actions oriented to promote renewable energy development (see Table 1). The IER scenario projects to go from 103.7 GWh produced by means of wind-parks in the year 2000, to 2’360.4 GWh in the year 2010 (with 1.073 MW of installed capacity). This means to raise the wind participation up to 4.7% of the total amount of produced electricity by the year 2010.
Table 1. Proposed measurements in the wind field of the Renewable Energy Plan. (Source: Catalonia Renewable Energy Plan) Actions of the Renewable energy plan Definition of the administrative procedure of electric connection Normative development to regulate small installations To maintain the actual incentive regime To support the implementation of wind technologies of low power To follow the environmental and socioeconomic impact of wind parks Diffusion campaign of wind energy Direct support to the investment To define or promote the construction of electric infrastructure To go with wind park projects To participate in investment of wind parks Thirds financing Credit of low interest taxes
The plan identifies some barriers to reach the proposed objectives. First of all, the insufficient infrastructure to evacuate the electricity is seen as an important obstacle1. Some not defined issues that can stop or delay some initiatives in the plan’s frame are:
1 For example, 10 kilometres of high voltage electric lines (220 kV) costs 780.000 €.
3 9 The retributions in the special regime of electric generation, 9 The duration of this regime, and 9 The uncertain price of the electricity.
Finally, the plan stands that some ‘objective’ criteria are needed to establish the conditions to implement wind parks because the social rejection to them. But, as it will be seen below, it is very difficult to set up objective evaluation criteria.
The situation under study
Selecting the case study On February 23th, 2003, some associations and citizens platforms have met with some professors in the Centre of Environmental Studies (now called Institute of Environmental Sciences and Technologies – ICTA), in the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB). The aim of this meeting was to discuss about the wind-parks projected in the areas called Serra del Vilobí, Coma de Bertran and Serra del Tallat2, and to have a first approach to new evaluation methodologies that allow to consider not only economic indicators. These associations and platforms are not unique in Catalonia. Around the wind-parks issue there are many groups of people, with several positioning regarding the implementations of wind-farms.The interest of the citizens about the issue of wind energy has been rising in the last time, maybe because the increase of submitted wind-farm projects has revealed the people’s perception of an unequal territorial distribution. In the same time our team from UAB, started to look for a situation where energy projects (based on renewable energy sources) face social rejection. This task was made mainly by means of newspapers review and contacts with some social groups. Given the contacts made in the workshop of February, two projects were chosen. These projects present some desired characteristics for our research in the MCDA-RES project like the followings: 9 There was a conflict around renewable energy sources, 9 There were several positions regarding the construction of the wind-parks, 9 There is an important press coverage of the conflict regarding the size of the towns involved, 9 The small size of the tows involved makes easier to carry out a participation process,
The first approaches After selecting the cases to be studied, some actors from the Coordinadora per la defensa de la terra - Urgell, Conca de Barberà, Segarra, Garrigues – 3 were contacted to have a better understanding of their position concerning the windparks. On the other side, it was necessary to contact the mayors of the towns before starting the field work and the participation process. Mainly, because it was thought that the support of the authorities was necessary to have a successful case study, with the maximum number of actors participating in this process.
2 The area is located in the west sector of the Catalonian central depression, just between Tarragona and Lleida provinces. 3 The Coordinadora groups most of the people and associations in the region were the windparks selected for this study are projected.
4 It has to be noted that, in small towns the relationship between authorities and the citizens is quite close, and the former plays a very important role in the daily life. The participation process will be described in more details further on in this document.
The impact area The impact zone is located in the west part of the Catalonian central depression (see Figure 6), and the windparks are projected in the limit between the comarcas of Urgell and Conca de Barberà.
Urgell This comarca is located in a pain crossed by the Urgell canal, among the Montclar (North) and Tallat (Southeast) sierras. It has many towns known by their monumental patrimony, like Agramunt, Maldà, Guimerà, Verdú, Bellpuig o Vallbona de les Monges. The economic activity is based in agriculture and stockbreeding, complemented by the metallurgic and food industries, which are installed mainly in Tárrega, the province’s capital. Its tourist infrastructure is not so important, however, it attracts many visitants, basically due to its several monuments and typical towns.The population has grown at 2,53 ‰ between 1991 and 1996, thanks to the immigration movement that reverts the natural population decrease (see Figure 5).
Conca de Barberà This is a transition zone between the interior lands and coastal zones. It is the communication route between the provinces of Lleida and Tarragona.The main economic activity is the agriculture, especially vineyards. At the beginning of the XX century started to increase the cooperative movement, which explains the existence of wine cellars and agriculture cooperatives. The stockbreeding and industry activities have been a complement to the agriculture, and tourism is still in an expansion process (in spite of its notable catalogue of monuments). The population has been growing at 3.03 ‰ between 1991 and 1996. And, in the same way than the Urgell comarca, the migration movement has equilibrated the natural decreasing population trend (see Figure 4).
Table 2. Conca de Barberà statistics Table 3. Urgell statistics Surface 648,8 Km2 Surface 648,8 Km2 Population 18.780 Population 18.780 Municipalities 22 Municipalities 22 Capital Montblanc Capital Montblanc Tourist brand Golden coast Tourist brand Golden coast Province Tarragona Province Tarragona
Figure 4. Conca de Barberà population Figure 5. Urgell’s population pyramide (1996). pyramide (1996)
Source: Gencat. Source: Gencat
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This is more or less the context in which two wind-parks projects Km have been submitted for environmental evaluation, and now they are waiting for the governmental approval to be constructed. Both projects fit into the renewable energy promotion plan created by the Catalonian government, in terms of the installed Urgell power capacity (less than 50 MW). Conca de Barberà They will be analysed more deeply forward in this document, when the different alternatives are constructed Figure 6. L’Urgell and Conca de Barberà comarcas in and described. Catalonia. The towns involved in the conflict In this section it will be made a brief description of the towns, selected for this case study, that are involved in this conflict. The town selection criteria were the proximity to the projected wind-parks, and the level of conflict that has risen from these towns. In general terms, there are two municipalities (Vallbona de les Monges and Els Omells de Na Gaia) in which the wind- parks will be constructed, one municipality (Senan) affected by the windparks (in terms of proximity without compensation), one independent municipal unit (Rocallaura), and one town (Montblanquet) belonging to the municipality of Vallbona de les Monges. All of them present characteristics and degree of the impacts caused by the wind-parks location, covering a wide range of situation that can be faced.
Els Omells de Na Gaia The town is located in the Serra del Tallat, on a hill of 560 metres of altitude. It has been built surrounding the castle in the XVIII century, belonging to the barony of Vallbona de les Monges. In the year 2003, the town had 159 inhabitants. The main activity is agriculture of dry land — olives, almonds, vineyards and cereals — which are Figure 7. Els Omells de Na Gaia’s complemented by the cattle stock activity. Almost Population pyramide. Source : Gencat. 50% of the population work in those activities. Other activities are services and industry at small scale.
Senan The first document that makes reference to Senan is from the year 1159. In the year 1244 the town was under the dominion of the Monserrat monastery, but 40 years later it was sold to the Poblet monastery, whose domain over the town finished in the year
1811.The town is located in the Conca de Barbera Figure 8. Senan’s Population pyramide. Source : Gencat. 6 region, in a mountainous territory surrounded by forests. This is the municipality with less population in Catalonia. The 35 registered inhabitants (2001) and the people who have a second residence in the town have rebuilt the houses, recovering their traditional aspect.Agriculture is the main activity, being cereals and vineyard the predominant crops. It also functions as a second residence, and there is a rural residence and a ceramic workshop that can profit its location between the monasteries of Vallbona de les Monges and Poblet (Ruta del císter).
Vallbona de les Monges This town was born around the Santa María de Vallbona Monastery. This monastery was built in the second half of the XII century. But after the Council of Trento, which forbade isolated monasteries for women, it was offered the half of the water (which was under the control of the monastery) and some properties to attract people from Montesquiu to go to live there, who founded the municipality in 1573. The year 2001 the town had 183 inhabitants, and the main activity is the agriculture of dry lands. Two Figure 9. Vallbona de les cooperatives distribute their products, basically wine Monges’s Population pyramide. and olives oil. On the other hand, the town and its Source : Gencat. monastery are inserted in the Ruta del Císter tourist route, but tourist infrastructure is not well developed. In the people’s perception it is more difficult to survive based on the agriculture activity, and this is the main reason why young people is leaving the town, with the consequent population ageing.
Montblanquet This town belongs to the municipality of Vallbona de les Monges, province of Tarragona. Both winparks, Coma de Bertrán and Serra del Tallat, are situated at 700 metres from the urban centre. Montblanquet has been recovered by its neighbours in the last 20 years. Its houses have been built in the XVIII century, and the church, built in the XII century, is part of the Ruta del Císter tourist route between the monasteries in Vallbona de les Monges and Poblet. The town has 4 permanent residents, and almost 30 people have a second residence there to go on weekends and summertime.
Rocallaura There are testimonies that this town has its origins in the XII century, as well as the Santuario del Tallat. The sanctuary is located in the Rocallaura municipal territory, it is a tourist point inserted in the Ruta del Císter route and it is the centre of the pilgrimage from several towns of l’Urgell, Segarra and Conca de Barberà communes.Running the year 2003, Rocallaura has been declared as a decentralized municipal entity, partially recovering the status of an independent municipality that it had lost in the year 1970, when it was annexed to Vallbona de les Monges municipality. The town has almost 30 inhabitants, mostly retired people. And it functions as a second residence like the previous towns.
The Conflict In the beginning of January 2002, there was talk about four winfarms projected in the surroundings of the area of impact described above. On December 2001, Gerrsa had presented its project of 16 windmills of 850 KW to the town councils of Vallbona de les Monges and Els
7 Omells de Na Gaia. A second project, elaborated by Energía Hidroeléctrica de Navarra, planned to install 66 windmills of 660 KW in the municipalities of Vallbona de les Monges, Senan, Blancafort, Espluga de Fancolí and Solivella. In addition, there were two other projects planning to construct windfarms of 75 and 15 windmills respectively, reaching 172 windmills on the Tallat sierra.4 Early in this process, there were several positions regarding the construction of those winfparks. On the one side, some people have started to raise their voices against the windfarms. Firstly, they have expressed the will of participating in the design of the future of their comarcas and, secondly, they see as territorial inequalities the way Catalonia has been planning the energy production scheme. On the other side, some municipalities, for instance, Vallbona de les Monges, Els Omells de Na Gaia and Rocallaura, and some citizens have agreed with the construction of these infrastructures. They see the wind-parks as a good opportunity to increase their economic incomes to improve social services and to change the declining path that characterize these towns. On April 2002, it was presented the Plataforma per Senan (Platform for Senan). This platform groups all the neighbours and second residences of the town, and it is supported by the town council, and the environmental movements IPCENA and GEPEC. On June 2002, the platform joins to the Coordinadora per la Defensa de la Terra (Urgell, Conca de Barberà, Segarra, Garrigues), which has presented near 600 remarks to the Coma Bertran project. On December 2002, the platform and the company (Gerrsa) had a meeting mediated by the Energy General Directorship of Catalonia. In this reunion, the company has offered to reduce the number of windmills from 16 to 11 and to increase the size of the machines. But the proposal was rejected by the platform because the windpark remained near the town. Along with this, the Associació d’amics i veïns de Montblanquet, founded in 1984 as a channel of communication between the Vallbona de les Monges’ town council and the neighbours of Montblanquet, has been also gathering forces and information to oppose to the Coma Bertran project, because the proximity to the town (among many other reasons). It is on September 2003 when Energía Hidroeléctrica de Navarra submitted its Serra del Tallat project of 33 windmills of 1.5 MW each one, changing its preliminary project of 66 windmills of 660 KW. The Coordinadora manifested again its opposition to the wind-parks due to the way these plans has been accomplished, without any participation of the people living in the territory. The existence of a tourist route called Ruta del Cister is another reason to oppose to the projects. This route comprises near 50 towns in the projected wind-parks’ zone, and its promotion has been financed by the administrations at the local, regional, national and European levels. At this point, it seems that the opposition to different plans are a product of the accumulation of projects submitted without any public participation (in the design stage). Regarding this, it might be very difficult to find as compromise solution for the wind-parks’ location, unless the discussion of the wind energy plan is reopen (at least at a local and regional level). To face this situation, we have proposed to the town councils, to the platforms and to the neighbours to open a social multi-criteria process to discuss the pros and cons of the different projects, and to construct new alternatives to the current arrangements. Next section presents the applied methodologies to approach the situation (i.e. institutional analysis and participative techniques) to obtain new alternatives and the evaluation criteria for further comparison.
4 Since this case study has been carried out analysing the Serra del Tallat and Coma de Bertran projects, the attention will be put in those plans instead of any other.
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