Santiago do Cacém opposition to Southwest Wind Farm project intensifies

The local environmental group RENOVAR Santiago do Cacém has voiced strong opposition to the Southwest Wind Farm project, whose public consultation runs until 18 August. The plan calls for three wind‑farm clusters—São Bartolomeu, Vale Miguel and Monte das Oliveiras—covering about 1,098 ha across the municipalities of Santiago do Cacém and Cercal do Alentejo. Between 23 and 31 turbines over 100 m high would be installed, linked by a power line to Sines and a battery‑storage system, with an estimated annual output of 386.4 GWh destined for the Sines data centre.

RENOVAR stresses that renewable energy must serve a transition that benefits local communities and protects the territory. It warns of potential psychosocial, socioeconomic, landscape, ecological and noise impacts, and argues the project primarily serves large technology firms rather than residents. The group has called on the municipal council, the parish union and the Abela parish board to make a public position, to hold urgent clarification sessions and to commission a cumulative‑impact study. Existing large photovoltaic projects in the area have already faced similar local resistance.