Penamacor municipality opposes Sophia Solar Park project

The municipality of Penamacor has maintained a technical opinion against the Sophia Solar Park project, despite a reformulated proposal. While officials acknowledged improvements such as a reduced footprint and the exclusion of certain ecological zones, they concluded that the project still poses significant environmental, landscape, and territorial concerns.

Local authorities highlighted the issue of cumulative impacts, noting that approximately 553.89 hectares of the municipality are already committed to similar renewable energy projects. The Sophia proposal would add another 624.54 hectares, bringing the total to over 1,178 hectares. Consequently, the municipality is advocating for a cap on land occupation for solar infrastructure at 2% of the total municipal area.

Additionally, the Ecologist Party 'Os Verdes' has expressed opposition during the public consultation process. The party warned of risks to habitats and endangered species, including the Iberian wolf and Iberian lynx. They argued that the project's environmental compensations, such as planting 40,000 trees, are insufficient to restore consolidated ecosystems and that the project could negatively affect local agriculture, forestry, and nature tourism.