Eolia Renovables reconciles power generation from renewable energy sources with environmental protection.

The wind and solar farms operated by Eolia Renovables generates annually produce enough energy to cover the energy requirements of over 314,000 households, preventing annually the emission of 565,000 tonnes of CO2.

Moreover, Eolia Renovables is committed to environmental protection and restoration of its surroundings. The company’s environmental restoration strategy is framed by the requirements laid down in prevailing regulations and takes the form of participation in several initiatives under the umbrella of its Environmental Integration Program, started by the company in 2008.

Eolia Environmental Integration Program

From the financial year, the company’s environmental protection efforts were focused on the reforestation and restoration of the local fauna at sites nearby its wind and solar plants.

The company replanted these areas with indigenous local species, for example at the El Negredo, La Calzada and Guijos wind farms. On other occasions the reforestation work was performed to integrate the company’s facilities into the surrounding landscape or to provide a visual screen, as was the case of the planting work performed around the Mercedes hermitage in the vicinity of the La Calzada wind farm.

The company also launched a number of initiatives designed to bring back the local fauna. Some examples:

• Fostering of sustainable farming practices designed to enhance the habitat for grassland species in the vicinity of the Moralejo wind farm.

• The agreement with the National Heritage Trust of the Regional Administration of Castile-la y Leon León to finance the construction of a Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in Albillos, Burgos. The goal is to fund a centre with sufficient resources to cure and rehabilitate animals, mainly birds.

• Financing, in alliance with other developers, research conducted by the National Heritage Trust of Castilla y León into the impact of the wind farms located at Alondra de Dupont.

• A number of measures run at the Majogazas wind farm to enhance the habitat of protected birds of prey such as the royal eagle and the Bonelli’s eagle. These measures focus on fostering these predators’ prey populations, including plantation programs, building wild rabbit burrows, purchasing prey from local hunting grounds, and the installation of anti-collision devices on pre-existing electric wires. A significant expanse of forest land are replanted and a number of forest regeneration treatments will be applied on the municipal scrubland adjacent to the facility.

• The overriding goal of the work planned for the Mahora solar plant surroundings includes the rehabilitation of an old juniper shrubland by planting thuriferous juniper and repopulation of the area with red-legged partridges, a species currently very endangered in the region.

Our research collaboration work

Eolia Renovables, through its subsidiary, Energías Eólicas del Pino, S.L., collaborates with Malaga University and Torsa Renovables on a pioneering project for tracking birdlife using radar techniques. The project consists of installing a radar at each wind turbine to warn of bird proximity and collision danger. Based on this event, an ultrasound device emits a signal that repels the animal or, failing this and as a last resort, stops the turbine.

This technology provide exhaustive knowledge of the behavioural patters of the birdlife in the wind farm’s vicinity, minimising bird-turbine collisions through the selective stoppage of the latter.

The project demonstrates the company’s commitment to the environment, specifically to reducing the impact of wind-generated power on the surrounding areas and their wildlife.