The European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) Duero-Douro voted to grant its initiative to attain energy independence for the municipalities of Zamora, Salamanca, and northern Portugal that it makes up a “definitive boost” during the special general meeting held in Almaraz de Duero.
80 solar systems for shared self-consumption that the Duero-Douro EGTC has previously erected in the several municipalities of western Zamora and Salamanca will be turned on for this purpose.
In the upcoming months, it also intends to carry out one hundred more. Those in charge of the organization state, “All this with their own resources, without waiting for the arrival of the funds sought months ago and whose determination is taking longer than required.”
To complete the energy circle, Duero-most Douro’s recent assembly authorized the construction of several green hydrogen production facilities on its soil to provide energy to the local population when solar radiation is absent, with the goal of achieving complete energy independence throughout the day.
According to the Duero-Douro order, the municipalities’ energy independence will be “the first step” towards “a transformation in the territory pushed by people who live in the environs.” “By producing our own energy for the region, our towns will become attractive locations for the construction of businesses and industries. They go on to say that this is a component that is related to creating employment opportunities and drawing in people to stop the trend of population decline.
To put out flames, use goats
These energy initiatives also include commitments to the primary economy and mountain preservation. To accomplish this, the assembly once more discussed the fire prevention project “Self prevention,” which encourages the return of goats to the vacant territory. In this way, the forest and idle land provide food for the goats and maintain a weed-free environment. In the upcoming requests for European funding, Duero-Douro will present the project.
Finally, the assembly reiterated its faith in the present Coordination Council’s leadership by overwhelmingly endorsing it. In this way, the president of the Municipal Chamber of Torre de Moncorvo (region of Braganza, Portugal) will continue to be vice president while the mayor of the alistano town of Vias, Bernardo Casado, will repeat as president of the EGTC-Duero-Douoro. The continuation of José Luis Pascual as the organization’s general director was also overwhelmingly approved.
