VALLE NATURAL RÍO GRANDE

The research, commissioned by the Association of Municipalities of the Sierra de las Nieves, advises against these installations due to their multiple potential adverse effects such as the increase in ambient temperature, excessive water consumption, the displacement of agricultural and farming activities essential for the economy and employment, the impact on biodiversity and the landscape, the risk of fires and the increase in erosion. A report prepared by researchers from the University of Malaga (UMA) at the request of the Association of Municipalities of Sierra de las Nieves "advises against promoting the indiscriminate expansion of mega-plants for the production and evacuation of electrical energy in rural areas" and points out that "they conflict with the Sierra de las Nieves Biosphere Reserve and entail a disruptive transformation of the production model, by displacing traditional agricultural and livestock activities that are essential for employment and the economic and social sustainability of the area." The president of the Association of Municipalities of Sierra de las Nieves and mayor of Istán, José Miguel Marín, motivates the implementation of the The research aims to "respond to the social alarm surrounding existing macro-power plant projects in the region and its surrounding areas and provide scientific evidence to foster public debate and the adoption of well-founded measures." The researchers propose investing in new activities that "generate prosperity and ecological and social value for the community, rather than financial returns for investment funds." Specifically, they point out that "macro-renewables are not needed in this area; energy must be produced where it is consumed. Transporting electricity over long distances entails significant efficiency losses in the grid." And it advocates allowing "only generation through energy communities that carry out self-production of electricity linked to agricultural operations and sustainable tourism." The study reveals that "large areas covered with solar panels would multiply the 'local heat island' effect, potentially increasing the temperature by more than 3 degrees during the warmest months and having consequences for the environment and its diversity, as evidenced by studies carried out by the Japanese University of Kyushu following the installation of photovoltaic panels in the Kushida River basin." Likewise, direct water consumption for cleaning the panels could skyrocket to more than 56 million liters per year, a calculation resulting from applying the parameters set by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to the more than 30 MW of the facilities planned for the Sierra de Las Nieves area and its surroundings. They would also affect surface water and runoff, essential for agricultural activity, and would cause a considerable increase in soil erosion, which would turn the area into an area of high vulnerability to torrential rains. Other notable elements mentioned are "the accumulation of flammable materials in the facilities and potential breaks or micro-breaks that can cause fires that could cause extensive damage in the habitat where the panels would be located." "This model of macro plants entails strong external dependencies, both financial and technological, which tie the territory to specific technologies whose production is dominated by actors external to the region. They involve limited job creation and a highly technical and temporary workforce that excludes a large part of the population. The generation of economic value tends to be concentrated outside the territory, while negative impacts such as the loss of productive diversity, landscape deterioration, and social tensions are localized in the affected communities, turning rural areas into 'territories of sacrifice' in which benefits are externalized and costs fall on local populations and the environment,” the study explains. The researchers conclude that “solar energy is a clean and renewable source, but its installation in areas affected by climate change can exacerbate problems of erosion, water and biodiversity, especially in sensitive areas due to the proximity of a National Park, as is the case in the area around La Jara, the subject of the study.” The research was carried out by a multidisciplinary team from the UMA, made up of José Damián Ruiz Sinoga, professor of Physical Geography; Matías Mérida, professor of Regional Geographic Analysis; Juan Marcos Castro, collaborating professor of Applied Economics; and Raúl Muñoz, a graduate in Geography and master's degree in urban planning, land use and environmental law.