Geographical situation

La Morera del Montsant Wind Farm 

 

1.1. 

GEOGRAPHICAL SITUATION

, 

ORIGIN AND CONTEXT OF THE 

PROJECT

 

La Morera de Montsant is located at the Montsant mountain area (Priorat Comarca), an 

area, where a big controversy started four years ago when some big developers 

announced big wind projects. But one year ago, the main part of this region was 

classified as "Natural Park".  

 

The small wind project of La Morera de Montsant started in June 2

nd

, 2000, when a 

group of small rural villages’ mayors approached Dr. Josep Puig, at the end of a public 

debate about wind energy in Reus (Tarragona, South Catalonia). They asked for help 

because there were many wind energy projects in their villages and they didn’t have 

any capacity to deal with. Also they were worried about the opposition organised by 

outsiders not living in the villages and about the lack of support from Regional 

Administration.  

 

The initiative was a real convergence between municipality’s mayors, concerned that 

big wind projects might develop in their municipalities, and a small group of people 

interested to promote small wind project at local level. 

 

This has been the beginning of a process to make it possible to start a new kind of 

wind project: a small wind project (3 wind machines of 750 kW each), owned by local 

people. This decision has been made after discussing intensely with La Morera de 

Montsant local residents. The municipality organised some meetings with local 

residents and asked Ecoserveis to act as a consultant and to provide public information 

to local residents. The process started in Autumn 2000 and the last meeting took place 

on June 22

nd

, 2000, when the project to install a 40 m. height wind measurement tower 

was presented.  

 

The small wind farm will be located at less than 1 km distance from the village of La 

Morera de Montsant, just near the main local road and not far from the medium voltage 

line. 

 

1.2. 

LEGAL FRAME AND INVESTMENT SCHEMES 

 

1.2.1. Legal 

Frame 

The project will consist in organising a wind cooperative to manage the wind project 

inviting local residents to own shares in it. Because La Morera de Montsant is a small 

village (only 100 inhabitants), other residents in the neighbourhood villages will be 

invited to join the project, which, in addition, will have an innovative social approach. 

The goal is to involve people living outside the area (for example, in other cities in 

Catalonia), who wants to practice a new form of solidarity from urban to rural areas 

(investing in local wind projects for rural sustainable development), but without having 

decision power over the project. The decision power will remain on local residents. 

 

Both the municipality and the majority of local residents are interested to be partners of 

the project, as well as other people, living outside the area, who have already 

expressed their interest to be part of the project. 

 

1.2.2. Economy 

Ecoserveis, acting as a consultant for the municipality, asked three wind manufacturers 

in Spain to provide a offer to build the 2,25 MW wind farm. After analysing the various 

offers received, it was finally decided to select the Ecotècnia offer. The total cost of the 

project will be: 1,731,606 Euros (770 Euros/kW), as a turn key project.

 

 

1.2.3. Financing 

The project will be developed using the common financial approach used in Spain 

(70% bank loan – 30% equity). A contact has been made by Ecoserveis with Triodos 

Spain (a Dutch bank, now starting operations in Spain) who is interested in the project. 

The subscription of shares will be opened as soon as the results of wind 

measurements will be available. In the case all the shares would not be sold, the wind 

developer company "Vendaval" (Mondragon and Ecotècnia) will buy the remaining 

ones. 

1.3. T

HE CONSULTATION PROCESS 

 

The consultation process started in spring 2001 with a meeting held in the town hall, 

attended by more than 20 local residents. During this gathering, people from 

Ecoserveis explained the basics of wind energy, showing projects around the world 

and focusing on the Danish local experiences of financing wind projects. At the end of 

the meeting, local residents expressed their interest to explore the feasibility to develop 

a small wind farm near the village. 

 

In April 2002, the Municipality of la Morera de Montsant signed an agreement with 

Ecoserveis. Ecoserveis will help the municipality to use a local resource, the wind, to 

create local wealth in a sustainable way. But this contribution does not only comprises 

assistance with wind measurements, wind technology, etc. but also the implementation 

of the social process to involve local people in the wind farm ownership. 

 

1.4. D

IFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED 

 

• 

In June 2002 a tower was erected to make wind measurements in the selected site. 

The chosen location was at 1 km distance from the village, just near the local road, 

at less than 500 m. distance from the electricity medium voltage line (15 kV) and 

not far from the transforming station (15 kV – 220 V), supplying the village. But 

during the second month of measurements (August 2002) the tower was knocked 

off by opponents to the project and the registering equipment was stolen.  

 

• 

The project was slowed down because at fall 2002 the political scenario started to 

move:  local elections (May 2003) and regional elections (November 2003). Now 

(February 2004), it has been agreed to install a new measurement tower (protected 

against vandalism) and to organise, at the same time, a public event with support 

from local residents, inviting regional politicians. 

 

1.5. S

OLUTIONS IDENTIFIED 

 

The main solution to these difficulties will be the public expression of a clear political 

will in favour of wind development from the Government of Catalonia.