Green energy vs. green heritage: olive groves would be sacrificed in Spain for a renewable project

By: Trademagazin Date: 2025. 04. 04. 10:58

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In the southern Spanish region of Jaén, the world’s center of olive oil production, renewable energy could play a major role – but at a high cost, according to local farmers. The Andalusian government has approved the construction of a 900-hectare solar and wind farm that would involve the felling of 100,000 olive trees. The project aims to produce green energy, but landowners face expropriation, low compensation and the loss of their livelihoods.

The development, led by the company Greenalia, would affect several towns in Jaén, including Lopera, Arjona and Marmolejo. The region’s olive oil production is not only an economic but also a cultural heritage – several families have tended the groves for generations. Farmers say the expropriations are not only causing financial damage but are also exacerbating the depopulation of rural communities.

Critics of the project say the investor is trying to avoid stricter environmental regulations by “project fragmentation”. In addition, the revenues from green energy production would not be used locally, but the electricity would be exported. Researchers and intermediaries, including MIT professor Lawrence Susskind, say alternative solutions are possible, such as co-existence of solar panels with olive trees or choosing less fertile areas.

The case highlights a deeper contradiction: there is often no real balance between the urgent need for a green transition and the protection of local communities. As the World Economic Forum has warned, the adoption of renewable energy is essential for climate goals – but it cannot be done at the expense of another pillar of sustainability, social justice.