Endesa's decarbonisation process involves the development of renewable installations that not only generate employment during their construction, but also create a green, qualified employment ecosystem with the aim of protecting the environment.
Endesa has more than 280 renewable installations in Spain distributed throughout the country. These plants have been producing clean energy, for a century in some cases, and have now also become a refuge for biodiversity. The projects for the protection of protected species, beekeeping, agrivoltaic systems and grazing that the company is developing in its renewable power plants generate high-quality and qualified employment directly aimed at protecting the environment.
These are both specialised technical positions, dedicated to the environmental control of the installations themselves, as well as expert scientists involved in the projects we are developing in collaboration with both public and private conservation organisations. This collaboration with government agencies, associations and specific companies involved in biodiversity conservation generates represents a significant drive towards green jobs.
Below you will find some of the collaborative initiatives that Endesa is undertaking in accordance with the map showing biodiversity projects by type of renewable power plant.
PROJECTS IN SOLAR PLANTS
A solar plant can be much more than an area where you can generate renewable energy. The construction of photovoltaic plants has been accompanied by a number of long-term sustainability initiatives, both for the communities where they are located and for their natural environment. These have involved the participation of associations and public institutions dedicated to the defence of the environment such as Sfera Proyecto Ambiental, Emat (Estudios Ambientals Y Territoriales S.L.), Linum (Taller De Ingeniería Ambiental Sl), Innogestiona Ambiental, Ideas Ambientales, 360 Soluciones Cambio climático and AMUS (Acción por el Mundo Salvaje).
Agrivoltaics is one of these initiatives. A concept that combines solar energy and agriculture and aims to use the land around the plant for agriculture, the preservation of biodiversity and the creation of shared value. The application of this innovative methodology has involved working together with local institutions responsible for analysing the type of flora that can be planted in each of the environments.
We are implementing this pioneering model in Spain in different parts of the country: Logrosán and Valdecaballeros (Extremadura), Totana (Murcia) and Las Corchas (Seville). In the case of the Valdecaballeros plant, the project is being undertaken together with the Extremadura Agricultural Technology Centre (CTAEX in Spanish), which is responsible for the planting of different types of species.
In Totana (Murcia), Endesa's initiatives in photovoltaic plants include developing a pilot scheme for these installations to be used as a refuge for threatened steppe birds. A project that will enable the generation of numerous environmental jobs, given that in the 8 hectares of the photovoltaic plant belonging to Endesa's renewable energy subsidiary, Enel Green Power Spain, an ecological island has been created that acts as a refuge for more than 25 species of birds, some of which are threatened.
A further action was for the protection of the Montagu's harrier, a species considered vulnerable and for which Endesa is taking action in collaboration with the AMUS Association (Action for the Wild World), with extensive experience in this species of steppe raptor. What the Regional Government of Extremadura, Endesa and AMUS are working on is a project to promote conservation measures for this species, a bird of prey that nests in the ground, which has led to a reduction in the number of specimens due to the cultivation of cereals. An infrastructure has been installed that was designed for the country breeding or hacking of hen harriers. Once all the chicks have been raised in semi-freedom and after a period of adaptation, they will be released into the wild. The El Doblón solar plant is one of the eight renewable plants that the company launched last year, generating more than 2,300 jobs, including technical jobs focussing on the construction of the installation and green jobs, involving environmental monitoring and the development of sustainability projects.
In Carmona (Seville), right from the start, construction of solar plants was proposed following an innovative model involving the primary sector coexisting with technology, which gave rise to projects for agrivoltaic systems, grazing and the first solar apiary, which is an integral part of the plant and the town of Carmona itself, as well as being an engine for the growth of green employment. The selection of the aromatic plants planted in Las Corchas, coriander and fennel that will be followed by rosemary and other aromatic species, was developed in coordination with experts who made a prior analysis of the terrain, the type of panels and the shadow they cast. These aromatic crops enable bees, whose hives are located within the solar plant, to produce honey with a designation of origin: Solar honey. Endesa's solar apiary is unique in that it follows traditional methods under the responsibility of a local beekeeper who installed about 20 hives in the enclosure. In this solar plant there is also a local shepherd who helps in the tasks of natural clearing by his sheep that are part of the traditional landscape in this installation. All these activities make the Carmona photovoltaic plant a unique enclosure by combining technology and the primary sector, applying the philosophy of sharing and not competing for land use.
PROJECTS IN WIND FARMS
With regard to wind farms, Endesa is collaborating with NGOs and other biodiversity protection organisations, such as DEMA (Defence and Study of the Environment), AMUS, Asociación por el Mundo Salvaje, the Migres Foundation and Colectivo Azálvaro; as well as with companies specialising in the environmental control and supervision of our plants, these include Taller de Ingeniería Ambiental LINUM, TESTA Calidad y Medio Ambiente, TAXUS, Management, Ecology and Quality, ARPA Consultores, SFERA Proyectos Ambientales, ECONIMA and SOCEAMB.
This week Endesa and the Regional Government of Andalusia specifically chose Málaga to undertake a conservation project for the lesser kestrel, developed by DEMA (Defence and Study of the Environment), and based on an innovative release methodology, focussing on ethological aspects of the species, called "Colony Environment". This project is a clear example of the sustainable development model that Endesa is implementing in its renewable plants and has led to the creation of jobs involving environmental protection.
It is a comprehensive project that not only focusses on the construction of bird houses and the monitoring of colonies, but also contemplates the reintroduction of the lesser kestrel over a period of five years by releasing more than 300 individuals in Spain in this space of time.
These release programmes were designed, developed and technically directed by DEMA, who is responsible for establishing the schedule in order to improve the chances of success in the recovery of this species. "Without public-private collaboration this would not be possible," said Catarina Machado, DEMA's project coordinator who explained the importance of this action in the province of Málaga, "this will be the first of many other collaborations."
Also in collaboration with the Regional Government of Andalusia and with the Migres Foundation, Endesa has developed the project for a live webcam in an osprey nest in the Marismas del Odiel marshlands. The installed device will enable observation in real time of a breeding pair of this species. The osprey (Pandion haliaetus) nest, located by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Sustainable Development in Isla de Enmedio Nature Reserve, has the first webcam in Andalusia for monitoring a breeding pair of ospreys.
In the Canary Islands and in order to protect the shearwater, Endesa recently launched the first laser lighting system in the world in the Fuencaliente wind farm, in La Palma, with the collaboration of the Fuencaliente Town Council. A good example of the public-private collaboration that this type of project generates and that promotes jobs focussing on the protection of biodiversity. Shearwaters come to the island of La Palma every spring to nest and the idea is for them to detect the beam of laser light as a signal and modify their flight path. The objective of this project, which is being supervised by the Government of the Canary Islands, is to protect birds on their night flights.
PROJECTS IN HYDRAULIC PLANTS
In Catalonia, Endesa is undertaking numerous biodiversity actions with regard to conservation around the company's hydroelectric power plants. These include the Endesa bats project, developed together with the Biodiversity and Animal Conservation Laboratory of the Centre Tencològic Forestal de Catalunya and aimed at the conservation of bats that live in the hydroelectric power plants. In collaboration with this institution, data are collected that enable the hydraulic to adapt and be able to favour the colonies of bats by giving them shelter and helping them to complete their life cycle. Bats do not only prevent the proliferation of insects, they are also considered to be bioindicators of the state of our different ecosystems. However, despite their importance, this mammal has been in decline for a number of years.
An unusual fact is that, as a result of a combination of humidity, tranquillity and mild temperatures, the galleries in hydroelectric power plants make an ideal habitat for chiroptera.
All these initiatives are part of Endesa's desire to have a good relationship with the environment while producing renewable energy and promoting the creation of specialised green employment through its biodiversity projects. In all cases Endesa maintains constant communication with the municipalities and associations within the municipalities where its plants are established so it feels part of the community and in this way is able to adapt to the needs of each area at all times.
About Endesa
Endesa is the largest electricity company in Spain and the second largest in Portugal. The company is also the second largest gas operator in Spain. Endesa operates an end-to-end generation, distribution and marketing business. Through Endesa X it also offers value-added services aimed at the electrification of energy usage in homes, companies, industries and Public Administrations. Endesa is firmly committed to the United Nations SDGs and strongly supports the development of renewable energies through Enel Green Power España, the digitalisation of grids through e-distribución and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The Endesa Foundation is also active in CSR. Our workforce numbers around 9,260 employees. Endesa is a division of Enel, Europe’s largest electricity group.