Ciudad Rodrigo, Villarino, Aldeadávila and Saucelle recognised for fighting depopulation
- These four towns in Salamanca have been awarded by the platform 'Vente a Vivir a un Pueblo', together with Iberdrola España, in a ceremony attended by the mayors and the delegate of Iberdrola España in Castilla y León.
- They were recognized for their efforts to revitalize rural environments and the use of renewable energies as a dynamic element of local economies.
This morning, the Salamanca municipality of Villarino de los Aires hosted the presentation of the "Pueblos con Futuro" (Towns with a Future) awards presented by the platform to fight depopulation 'Vente a Vivir a un Pueblo' (Come and Live in a Town) and Iberdrola España. They are recognised for their efforts to revitalise rural environments and the use of renewable energies to boost local economies. The award winners are the Salamancan towns of Ciudad Rodrigo, Villarino, Aldeadávila and Saucelle.
The event was attended by the mayors and/or deputy mayors of each of these municipalities, who demonstrated the efforts they are making to attract new population. They highlighted the importance of the natural resources in these rural areas for the economic development of their villages.
Iberdrola España's delegate in Castilla y León Miguel Calvo stressed that "Iberdrola España promotes renewable energies as an engine for rural development and in this way the villages emerge as a guarantee for the future with numerous initiatives based on 'green' principles that boost their activity and their population".
The awards were collected by the councillors of Ciudad Rodrigo, Marcos Iglesias; Julián Martín, from Villarino; and Florentino García, from Aldeadávila de la Rivera; and the deputy mayor of Saucelle -Andrés Lorenzo, who thanked the awards and agreed that renewables are essential to boost energy autonomy in our country and fight against climate change. These new green investments, with respect for the environment, are boosting towns such as these, due to the economic benefits they bring to rural areas.
Iberdrola España's commitment to clean energy began precisely with the construction of the Saltos del Duero and, after more than a century, this commitment has become even greater, as evidenced by the current company’s role as a world leader in wind energy. Iberdrola España's commitment to Castilla y León is part of the company's deep ties with this land, where it was born over 110 years ago and where it has been walking the path of environmentally and economically sustainable energy ever since.
The importance of Iberdrola España's hydroelectric power stations in Salamanca, Aldeadávila, Villarino and Saucelle, should be highlighted – with an average production of 4,700,000 MWh/year (megawatt hours per year), at full capacity. They could supply energy to nearly one million people.
Nuria Sánchez Bogajo, director of Iberdrola España's Villarino photovoltaic project, explained that renewable projects such as these "coexist with agriculture and livestock farming while respecting the environment, which is fundamental for Iberdrola España, and at the same time boosting local employment".
Nuria Sánchez Bogajo, director of Iberdrola España's Villarino photovoltaic project, explained that renewable projects such as these "coexist with agriculture and livestock farming while respecting the surroundings and the environment, which is fundamental for Iberdrola España, and at the same time boosting local employment".
The 50 MW Villarino photovoltaic plant generates enough clean energy to supply a population equivalent to 27,000 homes and avoids the emission of 12,000 tonnes of CO₂ into the atmosphere annually. The project, which has involved an investment of over €33 million, had a significant local component – contributing to the revitalisation of the economy and employment in the area.
At the round table following the awards ceremony, led and presented by the journalist and creator of the platform 'Vente a Vivir a un Pueblo', Ramón Pradera, three entrepreneurs who left the city and decided to settle in a village shared their views. The young Diana Alonso, who studied tourism and lived in Ávila, has now realised that it is better to live and work in a village, and at the head of the spectacular hotel Cetro de las Arribes in Aldeadávila, she says that she "loves the quality of life in the village". Alberto Trinao, who has lived in different cities and towns in Spain, decided to try his luck in this land and is a clear example that here you can develop a personal and professional project with guarantees of success, starting from scratch: "when I came I had no money". His excavation company has been running for 4 years and is doing better and better.
Jesús Martín Criado is another of those young people who are committed to the villages. At the age of 28, he decided to focus on another of the potentials offered by this region: its natural and scenic beauty, which is why he dedicated himself to managing tourist accommodation in Villarino de los Aires. "The business is thriving and I am thinking of expanding," said Jesús. In addition, Laura Martín, representative of the company Electromecánica Josmar, with over 20 years of experience in the industrial sector in Aldeadávila de la Ribera, shared the keys to succeed in a business.
The "Pueblos con Futuro" award includes making a video-portfolio of each of the winning municipalities for 'Vente a Vivir a un Pueblo', the most up-to-date and complete platform to encourage city dwellers to settle in rural environments. Along with the video-portfolio, these villages’ residents will be able to use other tools such as employment, housing and transfer agencies, free online training in new technologies and a Marketplace to give visibility to local services and products.
Coexistence of nature and renewable energies
Iberdrola España works on numerous initiatives that combine renewable projects with the conservation of the biological diversity of ecosystems, caring for flora, fauna and natural heritage. The coexistence of these renewable generation plants with activities related to agriculture, livestock farming and horticulture are further proof of the company's commitment to preserving biodiversity.
In collaboration with the mushroom and fungus producer Fungi Natur, Iberdrola España launched a few months ago in Castilla y León its first project in Spain for growing mushrooms in photovoltaic installations, which makes it possible to take advantage of the countryside and the shade of the panels to promote local work and the development of agriculture, while saving water and improving the quality of the harvest.
In addition, 600 sheep graze daily on the grounds of some of the company's facilities in the region, a clear example of circular economy, "solar grazing" benefits livestock farmers, who gain new spaces for their activity; it is positive for the plant, as it ensures the ecological maintenance of the land and reduces the risk of fires; and it benefits the animals that, in addition to access to food, find protection from the sun, rain and wind in the solar panels.
Iberdrola España launched the Convive Program last year, which was born with the aim of being an initiative for continuous improvement that integrates all projects and alliances for the coexistence between renewable energies and their contribution to socioeconomic development and biodiversity conservation.