The Government will present this Thursday to the municipalities a viewer with the preliminary results of the Sectoral Territorial Plan for the implementation of renewable energies in Catalonia, the PLATER, a tool with which it wants to regulate the deployment of new wind and photovoltaic power in the territory.
The document identifies the areas with the most capacity to host facilities and sets minimum objectives for photovoltaic solar and terrestrial wind energy generation by regions and municipalities. The preliminary results place Segrià, Les Garrigues and Anoia among the territories with the most potential to concentrate new projects, while Val d'Aran, Alta Ribagorça and Pallars Sobirà appear with the lowest objectives.
A territorial distribution with quotas per municipality
Salvador Illa's executive proposes that each municipality has a quota for the implementation of renewables, with different intensities depending on the available resource. The distribution of installations is based on the size of the region, the availability of wind, and the available surface area.
From the Department of Territory, they insist that the deployment will not be imposed on the city councils. The Government plans to ensure compliance with the plan, but will not force municipalities to launch projects. The will, they emphasize, is to do it in a consensual manner.
"The energy supply and the deployment of renewable energies is a fundamental pillar of the Catalan economy" - Sílvia Paneque, Minister of Territory
Paneque has also defended that the plan must respond to the concern of many municipalities given the flood of renewable projects and has pointed out that the PLATER will serve as a territorial planning tool. The Government also maintains that the deployment will be done with criteria of territorial solidarity.
More solar potential in the interior and wind in the south
The preliminary results indicate that the photovoltaic solar generation potential is concentrated mainly in inland regions. La Noguera, Solsonès and Bages lead that generation capacity, followed by Anoia and Alt Empordà.
In onshore wind, the planned concentration is located mainly in the south of Catalunya. El Segrià and Les Garrigues stand out in the distribution of onshore wind power, followed by Terra Alta, Ribera d'Ebre and Anoia.
In addition to ranking among the regions with the greatest hosting capacity, Segrià, Les Garrigues and Anoia appear especially well positioned to absorb new photovoltaic solar power.
The projected surface until 2050
Catalunya needs to install almost 62,000 MW of renewable energy by 2050 to decarbonize its energy system. In that scenario, the preliminary results of the plan set at 314 square kilometers the surface area to be used for solar photovoltaic, 1% of the territory, and 69 square kilometers the area destined for terrestrial wind, 0.2%.
The PLATER identifies 7,233 km² of Catalan territory suitable for photovoltaic solar, 22.5%, and 5,791 km² suitable for onshore wind, 18%. Based on that, the Government proposes to delimit what part of the territory should assume the effort of implementation from now until 2050.
The city councils may adapt proposals and present allegations
The municipalities will be able to modify or adapt the proposed zones within the limits set by the plan. They will also participate in the public information process by presenting allegations, in a period that will extend for three months.
From Territori they assure that the initial reception has been positive. In the areas where more discrepancies have been detected, follow-up has already begun to propose alternative proposals, with the intention of adjusting the definitive map before the approval of the plan.