Iberdrola España and the 'Vente a Vivir a un Pueblo' platform have recognised four towns in Extremadura for promoting rural development

Malpartida de Plasencia, Ceclavín, Alcántara and Toril have been honoured by the 'Vente a Vivir a un Pueblo' platform and Iberdrola España at a ceremony attended by the mayors of these towns and numerous local residents
They are recognised for their efforts to revitalise rural areas and for using renewable energy as a catalyst for local economies

Renewable energies

Group of people posing with awards at an outdoor ceremony, with Iberdrola and "Vente a vivir a un pueblo" campaign signs in the background.

Winners of the "Pueblos con Futuro" awards

The municipality of Toril in Cáceres hosted today's presentation of the "Pueblos con Futuro" awards, granted by the platform for combating depopulation "Vente a Vivir a un Pueblo" and Iberdrola Spain, in recognition of their efforts to revitalise rural areas and the use of renewable energy as a catalyst for local economies. The award winners were the mayors of Malpartida de Plasencia, José Raúl Barrado; of Ceclavín, Arturo Gómez; the deputy mayor of Alcántara, Gonzalo Blanco; and the host mayor of Toril, Eugenio Trebejo.

The mayors agreed in highlighting the efforts being made in inland areas such as these —belonging to the regions of Monfragüe, Valle del Alagón, Alcántara and Campo Arañuelo—to attract residents, emphasising the importance of their natural resources as an economic driver and a means of retaining the population. These new 'green' investments, based on respect for the environment, are boosting villages such as these.

José Manuel Bellot, Head of Renewable Energy Development in Extremadura at Iberdrola España, emphasised that "Iberdrola España promotes renewable energy as a driver of rural development, enabling us to boost growth and employment through electrification projects. This recognition highlights the efforts made by local councils to revitalise rural areas and advance sustainable development as a driver of opportunities in Extremadura".

The event, held in the Plaza del Pueblo in Toril, also featured a round-table discussion showcasing innovative initiatives and stories that breathe life into the rural world. The discussion was also attended by Eugenio Miralta, head of the company Barco Natura, and Rut López, owner of the rural guesthouse El Rincón de Monfragüe.

Eugenio Miralta is a leading figure in nature tourism, who left Barcelona to navigate the waters of the River Alagón with Barco Natura in a way that is revolutionising the valley. He has just received one of the Tierra Natura awards for the work he is carrying out.

As for Ruth López, she decided to return to Malpartida de Plasencia after finishing her university studies to develop a professional and personal project alongside her father and her partner.

The "Pueblos con Futuro" award involves the production of a video profile of each of the winning municipalities for "Vente a Vivir a un Pueblo", a platform designed to encourage city dwellers to settle in rural areas. Alongside the video profile, residents of these villages will be able to use other tools such as job, housing and business transfer boards, free online training in new technologies and a Marketplace to showcase local services and products.

Extremadura and its commitment to electrification

Extremadura has become one of Iberdrola España's growth regions in the country, with almost 5,000 megawatts of renewable energy currently installed in both Cáceres and Badajoz, making the energy company the regional leader.

In the case of hydroelectric facilities these account for 2,000 megawatts and work is underway to increase their flexibility and energy storage capacity, which is of great importance as hydroelectric power stations provide stability, as well as flexibility and a response in record time.

In the case of photovoltaic plants renewable energy generation reaches 2,842 megawatts across its 14 plants.

Furthermore Iberdrola España has been a pioneer in the development of lithium-ion battery-based electricity storage, having installed a hybrid battery system with photovoltaic technology at Campo Arañuelo III in 2021. Iberdrola España is currently driving forward four further energy storage projects in Extremadura, with batteries set to be commissioned at renewable generation facilities located in the Tajo Internacional area.

In this way Iberdrola España reaffirms its commitment to the energy transition and to a sustainable future for Extremadura.

A sustainable energy model

Iberdrola España is committed to driving electrification through clean, locally sourced and competitive energy. Integrating facilities with the surrounding environment is one of our core principles, reflecting the company's long-standing ties to the rural world.

The company has launched the Convive Programme, which includes a wide range of measures to ensure that renewable energy facilities are fully compatible with biodiversity, agriculture, livestock farming and even beekeeping. For example, some photovoltaic facilities have become true havens for biodiversity, even allowing endangered species to find a suitable place to live.

Through initiatives such as these Iberdrola España is raising the profile of villages that are committed to sustainability and innovation as a means of tackling depopulation. The company thus reaffirms its commitment to rural development, helping to create jobs, attract people and revitalise local economies in harmony with nature.

Iberdrola España and the 'Vente a Vivir a un Pueblo' platform have recognised four towns in Extremadura for promoting rural development

Iberdrola España and the 'Vente a Vivir a un Pueblo' platform have recognised four towns in Extremadura for promoting rural development

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