Baix Camp wind farm project faces fierce opposition from farmers, environmentalists, and four local councils in the Catalan region.
The plan for six enormous wind turbines, each reaching 180 metres tall, aims to generate 30 megawatts of electricity for Tarragona’s petrochemical complex.
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However, residents argue the environmental and agricultural cost is too high for such modest energy output.
Baix Camp Wind Farm Project Divides Community
The proposed development would place four turbines in Montbrió del Camp and two in Riudecanyes. Furthermore, a substantial 27.7-kilometre power line with 91 towers would cross through Vinyols i els Arcs and Riudoms. Consequently, opponents warn this infrastructure would fragment valuable agricultural land. “It means expelling people from the territory, from an area of great agricultural diversity and associated biodiversity,” criticises Pau Arasa, farmer and spokesperson for the Aturem els Molins platform.
Local authorities estimate the project would impact 10.2 hectares of productive agricultural soil in Riudoms alone. Additionally, the four most affected municipalities have submitted technical reports opposing the scheme. They question whether the modest renewable energy generation justifies the significant environmental and territorial cost.
The project is currently in a public consultation phase, attracting dozens of formal objections. Meanwhile, the Aturem els Molins platform recently delivered 2,500 signatures against the plan. The platform enjoys support from the Unió de Pagesos union, Revolta Pagesa, and local cooperatives.
Controversy Over Project Classification and Impact
Critics allege the development has been improperly fragmented. They claim it was processed as six separate single-turbine parks to qualify as ‘mini-wind farms’ under Generalitat regulations, thereby simplifying procedures. “It’s a fraud of law because it has been processed as if they were six different wind farms with one turbine each, when in reality it’s a single project,” adds Arasa.
Opponents also argue the plan contradicts efforts to preserve the area’s mosaic landscape, where forest mass coexists with farmland. This landscape is considered one of the best defences against major forest fires. The controversy highlights the complex balance between regional development and environmental protection.
Surprisingly, the industrial sector that would supposedly benefit from the 30 MW has had no direct knowledge of the project from the promoting companies, Tesera Energía and Mevak Energia. Industry sources explain this volume of energy is relatively small for the petrochemical complex’s ambitious decarbonisation plan, which relies heavily on clean energy.
The wind energy sector in Catalonia defends the Baix Camp wind farm project as sustainable precisely because it’s small-scale. Regarding the turbines’ height, proponents note this is now standard to reduce the total number needed and their overall territorial impact. The future of this contentious development now depends on the ongoing consultation process and the strength of local resistance.
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