Nurra under siege, 10,000 solar panels arriving: "A threat to the territory and community"

A full house in the oratory of the parish of San Pio X in Li Punti for the meeting organized by the Comitadu pro sa Nurra to raise awareness among the population on the implications of the growing "energy colonization".

Piero Atzori , on behalf of the Committee, denounced the extent of the industrial offensive: «In Nurra there are 53 projects for plants at stake, 49 of which are photovoltaic, which threaten to transform about 40 km² of agricultural land into industrial areas . There is not only the loss of cultivable and irrigated land, part of which would become the property of multinationals, but also the hoarding of the water needed to periodically wash the panels. In fact, half a liter of water is needed to wash a square meter of panels, and over 5 million liters are needed for the over 10,000,000 (ten million) square meters of panels envisaged in the projects».

Journalist Ninni Tedesco then commented with satisfaction on the recent rejection of the Palmadula Solar project, the largest agrivoltaic plant ever proposed in Italy, which would have covered over 1,043 hectares of Nurra . However, as reiterated by the organizers, «this is only a battle won. The threat to agriculture, the environment and the quality of life of local communities is still concrete».

The theme of desertification was explored by Lorenzo Scanu , again on behalf of the Committee, who raised the alarm on the changes already underway: «90% of the territory of Sardinia is at risk of desertification, with Nurra among the most vulnerable areas. Here, vineyards and olive groves, symbols of our agricultural culture, risk being swept away».

Even birdlife is under attack, according to Francesco Guillot of Lipu: «Photovoltaic systems create a mirror effect that disorients and damages bird species. In France, some installations are already being decommissioned for this very reason. We are transforming the biodiversity of Sardinia without any real planning». Guillot proposed agrivoltaics as an alternative, but «only as a supplement to agricultural income, not as a replacement».

In closing, Cristiano Sabino , essayist and blogger: «Modernization arrives in Sardinia with a delayed fuse and imposed from above, without any involvement of the communities and indeed against their particular material and political interests».