Spain builds solar farm over a cemetery, but did not tell relatives of the deceased

Jack Aylmer

SPAIN IS BUILDING THE COUNTRY’S LARGEST URBAN SOLAR FARM-

PUTTING ABOUT 7,000 PANELS OVER GRAVEYARDS IN THE CITY OF VALENCIA TO GENERATE RENEWABLE ENERGY.

THE ONLY PROBLEM IS- FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE DECEASED SAY THEY WERE NEVER CONSULTED ABOUT THE PLAN.

THE PROJECT- DUBBED REQUIEM FOR POWER – OR R.I.P.- IS A NEARLY THREE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLAR INITIATIVE AIMED AT HELPING VALENCIA REACH ITS GOAL OF CLIMATE NEUTRALITY BY 20-30.

HUNDREDS OF PANELS SITUATED OVER TOMBS IN THE CITY’S 200-YEAR OLD CAMPANAR CEMETERY WERE UNVEILED IN EARLY SEPTEMBER-

THEY’RE ALREADY GENERATING POWER, WITH MORE SOLAR INSTALLATIONS EXPECTED TO COME.

CITY OFFICIALS HAVE ADMITTED THOUGH THAT RELATIVES OF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN BURIED HERE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED.

VALENCIA’S CLIMATE AND ENERGY TRANSITION CHIEF DEFENDED THAT DECISION-

SAYING BECAUSE THE CEMETERY IS A PUBLIC-OWNED FACILITY, WITH GRAVES LEASED FOR 30 OR 50 YEAR PERIODS THAT HAVE ALL SINCE EXPIRED-

THEY WEREN’T REQUIRED TO ALERT ANYONE’S FAMILY THAT THIS WAS HAPPENING.

BUT SOME LOCALS DISAGREE WITH THE GOVERNMENT’S POSITION ON THE MATTER-

SAYING PEOPLE WITH LOVED ONES AND RELATIVES IN THE CEMETERY SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN A HEADS UP.

THE PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO HELP CUT DOWN ON OVER 140 TONS OF CARBON DIOXIDE ANNUALLY-

AN EMISSIONS TOTAL EQUIVALENT TO BURNING OVER 150,000 POUNDS OF COAL.

MOST OF THE ENERGY GENERATED FROM THE CEMETERY BASED SOLAR PANELS WILL GO TO POWERING MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS-

BUT 25 PERCENT OF IT WILL ALSO BE USED TO HELP MEET THE ELECTRICAL NEEDS OF ONE THOUSAND VULNERABLE HOUSEHOLDS.

THE RIP PROJECT IS ANTICIPATED TO BE FULLY OPERATIONAL BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.

TO GET MORE STORIES ABOUT CONTROVERSIES WITHIN THE RENEWABLE ENERGY SECTOR, DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP AND SIGN UP FOR ALERTS FROM ME – JACK AYLMER.