“The municipality recognizes the importance of renewable energies and welcomes the installation of solar panels as a positive step towards the sustainability and energy efficiency of the municipality. However, it considers it essential that these projects be implemented in a balanced way, respecting land use planning, the environment and the quality of life of the population,” said the City Council in the Castelo Branco district in a statement sent to the Lusa news agency.

Two photovoltaic power plant projects are planned for the Castelo Branco district, both affecting the municipality of Itabira.

The first project, the Beira photovoltaic power plant, involves the installation of 425,600 photovoltaic modules, with a total power of 266 Megawatts (MW), in an area of ​​524.4 hectares in the municipalities of Castelo Branco (Monforte da Beira, Malpica do Tejo, Benquerenças, Union of Parishes of Escalos de Baixo and Mata and Castelo Branco) and Idanha-a-Nova (Ladoeiro and Union of Parishes of Idanha-a-Nova and Alcafozes).

This project was subject to public consultation and is currently under analysis.

The second project concerns the Sophia photovoltaic solar power plant, which covers the municipalities of Fundão, Idanha-a-Nova and Penamacor, in the district of Castelo Branco, and represents an investment of 590 million euros.

The installed capacity will be 867 MWp (Megawatt peak) and has a projected annual production of 1,271 GWh (gigawatt-hours), which will allow it to generate energy equivalent to supplying more than 370,000 homes.

The Idanha-a-Nova City Council justified its public position by stating that these solar power plants cover hundreds of hectares of forest, agricultural, or scrubland areas, "preventing any use of the land, whether agricultural or forestry."

“Profound change”

"This profound change in land use converts conservation and production areas into areas exclusively dedicated to energy generation, affecting, in many cases, sensitive ecosystems and protected species."

Furthermore, "the impact of large-scale solar power plants is particularly relevant, especially on ecosystems, due to the loss of biodiversity and geodiversity, climate change, soil degradation, and also the consequences for tourism, hunting, and the preservation of a balanced and harmonious landscape."

The City Council also stated that the implementation of these projects contradicts the commitments that distinguish Itabira nationally and internationally.

This is because the municipality is recognized by its three seals of excellence: the International Tagus Natural Park, a protected area of ​​national interest (PIN), and three UNESCO recognitions: the Naturtejo Geopark, the Tejo-Tajo Internacional Transboundary Biosphere Reserve, and the Creative City of Music.

Idanha-a-Nova is also the first Portuguese bioregion, a recognition that reflects the balance in the use of resources, the preservation of soils and nature, and is part of the Network of Historical Villages of Portugal and the Network of Villages of Portugal, brands that recognize the historical, architectural, and cultural value of the municipality's villages.

The city hall also emphasized that the land use allocation is not limited to the areas where photovoltaic plants will be directly installed, and that the dozens of kilometers of high-voltage power lines needed to connect them to the grid must also be considered, "which would significantly affect the landscape and visual balance of the municipalities involved."