In Spain, a village wants to save its olive trees in the face of the rise of photovoltaics

In Lopera, an Andalusian village of 3.600 inhabitants located 200 kilometers northeast of Seville, almost everything revolves around olive oil, a product of which Spain is by far the world's largest exporter.

But the fertile lands of this municipality near the Guadalquivir River also attract companies in the energy sector, such as Greenalia and FRV Arroyadas, who want to install large photovoltaic power plants there.

The companies, which did not respond to AFP's requests, have reached agreements to lease the vast majority of these plots. But they are still facing opposition from small landowners, whom the regional government wants to expropriate in the name of public interest.

"This will destroy our way of life," laments Francisco Campos, 64, about the projects, which residents say could extend over 1.000 hectares.

"Taking (these lands) from me and giving them to a company to make money from, how is that in the public interest? It will have no impact" on the residents, he criticizes.

"Lands of our ancestors"

With nearly 3.000 hours of sunshine per year, Andalusia is one of the Spanish regions with the most photovoltaic power plants. In Lopera, residents suspected that their land would attract interest from the sector, but not in this way.

"We never thought they would expropriate, that they would take what belongs to us and give it to a private company," says Rafael Alcalá, spokesperson for the Campiña Norte Platform Against Mega Solar Power Plants.

According to the association, the construction of the eight solar parks currently under development in the municipality could result in the uprooting of some 100.000 olive trees. The regional government, for its part, is suggesting the removal of 13.000 trees.

To protest against these projects and support their colleagues targeted by the expropriations, several dozen farmers recently demonstrated with their tractors at the entrance to the town, behind a sign reading: "We do not want solar power plants."

"These lands come to us from our ancestors. Now, what am I going to give to my children?" sighs María Josefa Palomo, a 67-year-old retiree.

With its hundreds of thousands of hectares of olive trees, the province of Jaén, where Lopera is located, accounts for 37% of Spain's olive oil production. Here, "oil is everything," summarizes Juan Cantera, a 28-year-old farmer.

According to the La Loperana cooperative, losing 500 hectares of olive groves would deprive the village of 2,2 million euros in annual income.

"Until the end"

For the farmers of Lopera, who have launched legal proceedings against the Andalusian regional government and the companies behind these projects, there is therefore an urgency.

According to the Campiña Norte Platform, 5.000 trees have already been uprooted on the land of a farmer who reached an agreement with one of the companies involved. More could follow.

The Andalusian government, for its part, denies any brutal management and highlights the opportunities for the region and for Spain, which has become one of the European leaders in the ecological transition.

According to the electricity grid operator REE, Spain produced 56,8% of its electricity last year from renewable sources, including 17% from photovoltaic installations.

Across Andalusia as a whole, "it was only necessary to resort to expropriations for less than 1% of the area" concerned, insisted regional councillor for Industry, Jorge Paradela, to AFP.

The Spanish Photovoltaic Union (UNEF), which brings together 800 companies in the sector, highlights the tax benefits generated by solar parks in rural communities.

These are "very significant amounts, which then translate into an improvement in public services in the village," notes José Donoso, director general of UNEF.

These calculations are contested by the residents of Lopera, who intend to fight "to the end." "What is ours, no one will take away from us," promises Juan Cantera.