Industrial solar & wind farms

[almendras]

Hi all, new poster here though constant reader of the forums . Very informative We have a large farm which we have had replanted with almonds & lately some machine-pick able olives. I have hit quite a brick wall as regards getting people/companies interested in large scale solar and/or wind renewable energy on my farm. we want to diversify. I personally think most farmers need to diversify but that's for another debate. We have contacted numerous companies but they have shown very little interest. there are of course, loads of companies to speak to about residential solar & wind, but strangely very little response/interest in industrial solar. any links, tips, ideas would be most welcome.
We are up in Velez Rubio, with one foot still in the UK but imminently moving full time to Spain.
regards
Martin

[Enrique]

Hi almendras,

Welcome to The Forum...................

Looks like you'll have to trawl through the many companies that are listed on a Google Search............" Instaladores industriales energia agrovoltaica espana " .............. might throw up some info for you to work on.................

Example..................

https://www.iberdrola.com/innovation/agrovoltaics

[almendras]

Thanks Enrique, I sent an enquiry off to Iberdrola a while back. no response yet. Will keep plugging away!
regards
Martin

[Manchesteral]

Am I correct in assuming that your plan is to lease large sections of your land to windfarms companies to earn money?

[almendras]

Hi, my massively preferred option is solar, I will probably get a small wind turbine on the farm in the short term. Is this what you are hinting at? No one (surely?) likes the sight of the mega turbines across the landscape. There economic & environmental benefits are a separate debate. the only bit your correct on is that i want to earn money, its a business and as I'm sure you have saw across Europe with the protesting farmers, I want to diversify. Farmers need to. My problem has been a lack of real interest on ground level industrial solar which can work in tandem with nature (local plants & fauna underneath the panels for eg). these mega companies like iberdrola & others don't seem that interested which surprises me as they love to preach about there green credentials.

[olive]

One of my pet hates is the loss of perfectly good farmland to solar farms. They are just functional for solar

Some farming colleagues have done very well out of thhuge solar farm n the left of the A92 on the way to Granada.

Could it be your location is too remote from cusomers?

[almendras]

we have reinvested in a derelict farm. 50% is forestral and we wont/cannot touch. replanted on about 30% of the rest. whilst it would be easy to just plant more almonds/olives (perhaps pistachios) on the remaining 20%, the reality nowadays is you have to have income from elsewhere to do this. the risks/profits involved in just sticking with the same old practices/methods wont cut it. If our almonds/olives were not machine-pick able, it would literally not be worth it. Labour costs would be too much. Some almond farmers in California are cutting there trees down as its too expensive to maintain, water & farm. as you mentioned some of your colleagues 'are doing very well' out of solar. For us, it might give us an income so we can reinvest back into the farm as that's what we love to do. I believe it can be done sympathetically to the surroundings & nature as well. We are on the electricity grid so would presume/hope that we are not too remote? I honestly don't know but its a very valid point, so thanks for that. A quick scope/feasibility study from an expert will soon tell us. watch this space!

[olive]

While interest rates are low, we have seen many Spanish friends snapping up poorly maintained parcels and-increasing their land holdings and thus increasing profits/ turnover. Makes sense in as much as it is what they know and they have the mechanisation. Not good as you say to have all your eggs in one basket. The arrival of Xylella fastidiosa for example.

One thing you could try is turning up at an actual install of a solar farm and having a chat with the project manager. There is a huge installation going on betweenAlhama de Granada and Granada. To be more specific between Ventas de Huelma and Cacin.

It might also be worth talking to the Alcalde for your comarca, to see if he/she knows if they have shown any interest in the area. I would imagine , on balance, a large solar farm would bring prosperity - at least in the short term.

[almendras]

Thanks Olive, I think that's my best bet. the whole thing might be a non-starter but I certainly have to raise the question. if it gives us even a small income to pay some bills & reinvest/explore some other crops, dairy....brewery?
thanks once again

[Enrique]

Hi almendras,

Here deep in Olive country ........... in resent years asparagus fields have taken off. Once established ( 2 years) are very drought tolerant.