The entity Stop Macro Parc Eòlic Marí has described the Spanish government's endorsement of the Plemcat test platform, planned for Roses in Alt Empordà, as an "outrage" and "chaos." The entity's spokesperson, Jordi Ponjoan, expresses skepticism about the favorable environmental impact assessment (DIA), particularly given a study warning that the wind turbines could harm up to one hundred and thirty-five vulnerable species.
Ponjoan emphasizes that there is still room to halt the project, through both administrative and judicial channels. Meanwhile, the director of the Catalan Institute for Energy Research (IREC), Jordi Puigcorbé, details that the DIA includes "demanding" but "manageable" measures that reinforce the Plemcat's objective: to sustainably develop offshore wind energy in Catalonia.
The favorable environmental declaration represents a key administrative step for the project, promoted by IREC, which plans to install three wind turbines as a precursor to future commercial parks. Puigcorbé applauded the approval from the Spanish Ministry for Ecological Transition, highlighting that the project, under development for over two years, involves researchers and external collaborators.
The director of IREC has indicated that the DIA is accompanied by "demanding" and "manageable" environmental measures, to be worked on in the coming months, covering both the construction and operational phases of the platform. "These are demanding measures, which also align with the fact that Plemcat is a pioneering project," he stated, "and above all, they reinforce the primary objective of the test platform, which is to sustainably develop offshore wind energy in Catalonia through research and investigation."
For Stop Macro Parc Eòlic Marí, the assessment of the DIA is diametrically opposed. Jordi Ponjoan considers the approval an "outrage" and a "mess," especially since a study by the UdG, UPC, and the Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC) concludes that offshore wind in the Gulf of Roses could harm 135 vulnerable species.
Ponjoan believes there is still scope to stop Plemcat, as objections from opposing entities and municipalities affected by the evacuation power line are yet to be addressed. The entity also awaits the resolution of its objections to the Maritime Spatial Planning Plans (POEM), which call for specific environmental assessments per demarcation.
The spokesperson for Stop Macro Parc is convinced that "nothing will be done" regarding future commercial parks in the Gulf of Roses, whether through administrative or judicial means. "It's a long battle, and the favorable environmental declaration is good news for the promoters; but we still have a long way to go and many steps to exhaust," he concluded, reaffirming the opposition to the implementation of offshore wind in this important natural space.
