Parcel consolidation and renewable energy: from Portodomouros to Zamorra and Estivadas

• by OEGA
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In our advisory work in Agolada, a unique situation unfolded as the GWO engaged with rural communities to share information about wind farms. Residents were acutely aware of a clash between two territorial models in Agolada: one championing renewable energy, and the other representing agricultural and livestock wealth. The first model includes the Portodemouros reservoir, which has been generating CO2-free energy for 54 years; the Serra do Faro wind farm, operational since 2005; and the Zamorra and Estivadas wind farms, currently in the authorization process. The second model revolves around agricultural richness tied to livestock production, olives, vines, and forage crops, among others. In particular, 8 parishes of Agolada are closely connected with parcel consolidation.

Let us first delve into each aspect separately before reflecting on some conclusions drawn from our weeks-long exploration of this specific municipality in the Ulla and Arnego lands.

An Energy History Brimming with Unpleasant Memories

The start of the Portodemouros water reservoir on the Ulla River for electricity production was not seen as a positive development for the region. The energy it produced fueled industrial processes far from these lands. Portodemouros failed to create jobs or opportunities for local communities, and there was no fair compensation for owners of flooded lands and houses. It divided parishes, disrupted territorial continuity, destroyed prime agronomic land, buried cultural heritage, and altered local climate conditions. Environmental impact assessments were nonexistent at the time, disregarding measures to prevent environmental losses in the river ecosystem or the Arousa Bay, where the Ulla flows.

With over 90 MW, Portodemouros surpasses the production capacity of the existing Farelo wind farm (28.6 MW, with 17.6 in Agolada) or the planned Zamorra (31.15 MW) and Estivadas (36 MW) wind farms. Portodemouros is located in the neighboring municipality of Vila de Cruces. The 1,200-plus hectares flooded by Portodemouros were either purchased or expropriated, providing no annual income for landowners. The company pays the Economic Activities Tax to Vila de Cruces and the Property Tax to the municipalities (Agolada, Arzúa, and Santiso) to which the flooded lands belong. These amounts are not significant, and neither are the ones received by the owners of the lands hosting the Farelo wind farm. These two energy generation activities did not contribute to improving the quality of life in the affected regions.

Parcel Consolidation: A Historical Demand

The communities of Agra, Sexo, Baiña, Val, Berredo, Eidián, Basadre, and Ramil—8 parishes in Agolada—have been advocating parcel consolidation on 2,600 hectares for 20 years. The process began in 2002 and received a favorable Environmental Impact Declaration. As of yet, however, it remains unfinished. Despite the Government of Galicia spending nearly one million euros, and the various efforts of local residents—including the creation of an association, staging of protests, their having brought forth the issue to the Galician Parliament, and attempting to meet with regional leaders responsible for the matter—the parcel consolidation has made no progress. The suitable territorial foundation required in Agolada for productive activities is still elusive.

During our meeting at the municipal auditorium in Agolada, several people referred to this situation as “one of the greatest injustices that the residents of Agolada have been enduring. We want to work the land, and we need territorial planning, which is not happening.” This sluggishness and stagnation in the agricultural and livestock modernization of Agolada have nothing to do with the red carpet rolled out for wind energy companies.

The Territorial Impact of Wind Energy in Agolada

The two new parks in the authorization process (Zamorra and Estivadas) will not be a catalyst for improving the quality of life for the Agolada community. On one hand, the promoting company follows a classic tactic for such processes: they send “Agapito” (a fictional name for the intermediary sent by the company) from house to house making offers to individuals. There are no collective meetings, and often, the offers are verbal. Expropriation is often introduced as a way to intimidate, with phrases like “either you sign, or we move the wind turbines to your neighbor’s plot.” Agapito is an expert negotiator, and the community knows little about the wind energy business. Ultimately, if the parks are built, the incomes remaining in rural Agolada will be meager and unlikely to change local dynamics of population loss, job scarcity, and especially inadequate support for agricultural operations. With the average price of September 2023, these two wind farms would generate a combined annual revenue of 21.5 million euros for an investment of 50 million. The figures are straightforward.

On the other hand, these two wind farms will result in a change in urban qualification for over 100 hectares for each park. These properties will lose value as the classification as Rustic Surface for Infrastructure Protection will restrict some agricultural and forestry uses and rule out any future construction. Additionally, 1,115 hectares in the case of Estivadas and 1,463 in the case of Zamorra will be under the control of the promoting company for future wind farm installations. Owners lose that right, and the wind farms obtain an authorization without an expiration date, “they come to the villages to stay there forever.” Why jeopardize the potential for local wind energy development, whether municipal or community-based, for the citizens and CMVMC? Life takes many turns, yet today, promoting companies acquire rights for which they pay nothing.

In the case of Estivadas, given that the company requested the declaration of public utility, we can make one final comparison. The Relation of Affected Assets and Rights in the Official Galician Gazette mentions 33 hectares. In other words, the company is willing to pay a maximum for that specific area. Nevertheless, the change in urban qualification surpasses 100 hectares, and the portion of land where the company prohibits any future wind use—whether local or community-based—extends to 1,115 hectares. The company shows no willingness to compensate for the rights lost by legitimate owners.

In Conclusion

The residents of Agolada aspire to continue cultivating the land with dignity, yet their hopes are hindered by the inertia of political leaders. Two decades later, they still await the necessary territorial support for parcel consolidation. This bureaucratic slowness stands in stark contrast to the swift development seen in the energy sector, particularly in wind farms. Portodemouros, an industrial Endeavor, serves as a cautionary tale—a stark example of what not to do. Its creation led to the degradation of the cultural and environmental heritage of the Ulla, Arnego, and Arousa Bay. This stands as a testament to the detrimental consequences when industry is prioritized over the well-being of rural areas. Regrettably, adopting a similar model in the future could transform rural Galicia into a barren landscape, devoid of its inhabitants, yet bustling with energy-producing industries.