Renewables and biodiversity, the future of green energy

Endesa has a total of 280 renewable facilities distributed throughout the country's geography.Plants that produce clean energy and that, for a century, have also become some cases in a biodiversity refuge.

Bats, turtles, sheep, aguiluchos, aromatic plants, mussels, reptiles, toads, bees, and even bears live in the environments of the company's renewable plants, thanks to the bet that it does for "sharing and not competing for the use of useof the soil ", as explained by the general director of Generation of Endesa, Rafael González."We are immersed in a decarbonization process that has as its main axis the replacement of the generation through fossil energies for the development of new renewable capacity.A development that we carry out conscientiously, always by the hand of the people of the environments where we build and with biodiversity as a common axis that allows us to integrate the protection of the environment, "González Matizes.

Galicia, Castilla y León, Aragon, Cataluña, Murcia, Castilla La Mancha, Extremadura, Andalusia and Canary Islands are the autonomous communities in which Endesa has deployed its activity of protection of biodiversity, actions that will continue to be extended by all its renewable facilities in Spain.In this tour of the biodiversity map of its renewable plants, initiatives such as the compatibility studies of species such as wolves, foxes, roe de las and hares in the environment of wind plants located in Galicia.

But not only animal species, because they have also been preserved plant species that were disappearing as the 'Centaurea Ultreiae', very difficult reproduction and from which some dozens of specimens were discovered in the surroundings of the Castelo wind farm (Cristanco and Bortaia, La Coruña).This species is recovering thanks to a program for the improvement of biodiversity that is developing the Division of Renewable Energies of Endesa, in Green Power Spain, both in this park and in Careón (Palas de Rei, Lugo), where you arerecovering the 'Armeria Merinoi'.

and environment

Following northern Spain, in Castilla y León Endesa has also carried out synergies studies between renewable plants and animal species such as lobos, foxes and hares in the wind plants that the company has in Ávila.A series of studies that demonstrate the benefits of coexistence of technology and the environment.

In addition, in this area, where it develops its renewable generation activity through the wind, the company is carrying out a very close collaboration with the Azálvaro collective to preserve the muladars, specifically that of Espinar.In fact, these spaces represent the main power supply for multitude of animal species, especially during food shortage such as winter.

In Aragon, Endesa, through Enel Green Power Spain, is developing initiatives aimed at the protection of Avifauna such as El Milano Real, the Ricotí Alondra or the Cernícalo Primilla in the wind farms of Campoliva I, Santo Domingo de Luna, the giants andOriche, located between Zaragoza and Teruel.Specifically, in Campoliva a Primillar building for the Cernícalo Primilla is being built.These constructions allow the nesting of these birds through 'hacking' techniques.In the wind farm of Santo Domingo de Luna, this type of constructions are also being carried out, while in the giants a study is being carried out in collaboration with Amus for the reintroduction of the Royal Milano in Aragon, thanks to the liberation ofseveral of these specimens in the environment of the natural parks of the area.And, at the Oriche Wind Plant, in Teruel, the protagonist is the Ricotí Alondra, a species considered threatened, thanks to the generation of a 20 -hectare habitat for conservation.

In Catalonia, on the other hand, Endesa is developing numerous biodiversity conservation actions in the environment of its hydroelectric plants.These actions are aimed at the conservation of species such as bat or Mediterranean turtle.In particular, in the galleries of the Catalonia centrals houses for bats have been installed that are currently allowing studies of the behavior of this species, controlling its population and state of health.Likewise, the Mediterranean Turtle is being reintroduced in Flix reservoir, a species considered in danger of extinction.Endesa collaborates with the Trenca Association of the Zone, which fights for the defense and conservation of fauna, especially in the region of Les Garrigues (Lleida).

But there are also species whose population is controlled precisely by Endesa's electricity generation activity, such as the zebra mussel.In the environment of its reservoirs in Catalonia, specific studies are being carried out for the control of this species with concrete actions aimed at the protection of the environment in these environments.

Likewise, sustainability studies of water resources are also being prepared before the effects of climate change.Specifically, in the Noguera Pallaesa basin they are being revealed as a key tool for the conservation of ecosystems in the area.

In the Region of Murcia, Endesa is also carrying out innovative initiatives as far as biodiversity protection is concerned.At the Totana solar plant, a crop of native horticultural species is developing under photovoltaic panels, which is allowing to develop a perfect synergy between industrial and agricultural land use at the same time.In this photovoltaic plant in addition, an environmental corridor has been developed that serves not only from a plant screen, but also for the nesting of numerous species that are finding a safe habitat in these environments.

In addition, grazing is being used as a natural outbreak measure of the solar plant and a pest control system is currently being developed through the installation of nests and fokes of rapt species that can end naturally with pests.Complete synergy to develop an activity that allows to generate clean energy.

Species development

In Castilla y La Mancha, the Montilla Wind Plant (Cuenca) has agro -environmental measures on an area of 20 hectares to favor the development of species such as the common sison, considered protected.These same actions are being applied in the wind plants of Peña II and Picaz.

On the other hand, in Extremadura, where Endesa has seven solar plants in operation and eight under construction, numerous actions are being carried out in order to use the land that benefits the environment.In this sense, all plants in operation have the collaboration of local shepherds for the sloping of the land and, in many of them, as in Valdecaballeros, Augusto and Achoción, agrees -collaboration are being developed in collaboration with the CETAEX (Agrifood Technological Centerfrom Extremadura).In addition, Avifauna protection actions such as cereal planting, the installation of palomars or majanos are also promoted.

In terms of biological pest control, in Achievements, nests-fosters for raptors, passeriforms and chiroptera are also being installed.This measure is also beginning to be implemented in other solar plants such as Valdecaballeros, where pond habitat restoration is also being studied for the conservation of amphibians and reptiles, among other living beings.In addition, both in Valdecaballeros and Achological Corridors will be carried out to improve the habitat of steppe birds.

In Andalusia, where the company has seven solar plants in production and is building new renewable capacity, there is one of the most innovative initiatives: the solar apiary of the Carmona photovoltaic plant.In it, where the sheep that make the natural clearance of the terrain also coexist, agreently agrees of aromatic plants will be plant that will favor the pollination made by the hives installed in the plant.This is a dozen traditional hives that live with other intelligent people with the latest technology.

The solar honey that occurs in this installation supplies the nuns of the Carmona convent, who use this honey for the elaboration of their sweet artisans, whose sale serves to promote social actions.In addition, this solar honey, whose label has been designed by people who come to the city's day center, also reaches a traditional carmona baker, who prepares an artisan bread with this honey as the main ingredient.The solar plant also has a vegetable screen and birds of birds and chiroptera to favor the local ecosystem and control pests.

Steppe birds

In the province of Malaga, where Endesa has the solar plant of La Vega 1 and La Vega 2, it makes agro -environmental measures on an area of about 60 hectares for the development of steppe birds, some of them in danger of extinction.Likewise, in this installation, ‘hacking’ techniques are being carried out for the development of a species also vulnerable such as ‘cernicalo cousilla’.This action is not only being implemented in the solar plant, but also in the nearby windpotan area of about 62 hectares.

The hydroelectric plants that Endesa has in Andalusia, meanwhile, are also the focus of biodiversity, with actions for the protection of bat.In these renewable plants, Endesa has installed houses for this species in order to control its state and population.

In addition, actions for the control of the ‘Betic Party toad’ are being carried out at the Chewing Hydroelectric Power Plant, while work is being carried out for the monitoring of reptiles and amphibians.Many of these centrals, such as Tajo de la Enchant.In them, cleaning and withdrawal actions of this species are being executed in bars and take to facilities.

Finally, in the Canary Islands Endesa is carrying out actions to protect biodiversity in the environment of the renewable facilities of Enel Green Power Spain.In this sense, in the Fuencaliente wind park (La Palma) has developed an innovative bird protection system, mainly from ‘Atlantic Cinderella Pardel’, with laser lighting.

This marine bird, which passes most of the year sea and returns to the ground to nest, is included in the list of wild species in special protection (RD 139/2011) and in the Canarian catalog of protected species (Law4/2010).Hence the importance of this innovative system, which acts as a lighthouse for this kind of night habits.

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