Spain is constructing the country’s largest urban solar farm by installing about 7,000 solar panels over cemeteries in the city of Valencia as part of a $3.5 million renewable energy initiative. The project, known as Requiem for Power (RIP), is designed to help the city achieve its goal of reaching climate neutrality by 2030, but some locals are upset that relatives of the deceased were not alerted about this plan.
Unveiled in early September at three cemeteries throughout the city, including the 200-year-old Campanar cemetery, hundreds of solar panels have already begun generating power, with more installations planned as the project progresses. City officials expect the solar farm to reduce over 140 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, equivalent to the emissions from burning 150,000 pounds of coal.
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However, family members of those buried in the cemetery claim they were not consulted or informed about the project.
Carlos Mundina, Valencia’s climate and energy transition chief, defended the decision, stated that since the graves in the publicly-owned cemetery were leased for 30 or 50-year periods, all of which have expired, there was no legal obligation to notify the relatives.
Most of the energy produced by this initiative will power municipal buildings, with 25% allocated to support the electricity needs of 1,000 vulnerable households. The Requiem for Power project is expected to be fully operational by the end of the year.
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.
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