As of May 31, 2025, in Sardinia, there were 709 connection requests to Terna for 51.46 gigawatts of wind, photovoltaic, and agrivoltaic power: what are the risks for land and agriculture?

Pietro Tandeddu (former director of the CIA, Lega delle Cooperative, General Association of Italian Cooperatives, and Copagri, and former chief of staff at the regional Department of Agriculture): "The risk is further land consumption, resulting in waterproofing, which we cannot afford. We must forcefully reiterate the concept that the land is intended for the production of food to feed an ever-growing world: the war in Ukraine has dramatically underscored this. Faced with purely speculative actions by people no one in Sardinia has ever seen face to face, who landed here solely to make money by leaving behind rubble, we should establish a concrete and verifiable obligation for a surety bond to restore the sites after the plants' production cycle ends. The agricultural world is not against renewables, but it challenges the way they are imposed. Farmers could be given the freedom to go beyond production for self-consumption—and thus earn an income—without turning them into industrial entrepreneurs. Then, of course, there are systems that don't damage land and businesses. Agrisolar, for example: what does it take to massively promote the installation of panels on the roofs of agricultural, industrial, commercial, and artisanal buildings, as well as public buildings? Let's start there; it would be a success. On agrivoltaics in fields, however, there hasn't been any experimentation: it would have been enough to conduct it with our research institutions like Agris to verify what happens to the land covered by the panels. Furthermore, the government's target of producing 6.2 gigawatts from alternative sources for Sardinia is excessive compared to that assigned to much richer regions, with vast land areas like ours. We already produce at least 30 percent more than we consume. Of course, we need to find a solution for coal-fired power plants; gas is probably the best temporary solution. There's one key factor: the landscape, scarred by hundreds of meters-tall turbines, both at sea and on land. The landscape also provides an economic boost to agri-food products; the market is fierce, and the specificity of a product grown in a specific environment inherently has added value. We are a weak region that cannot compete with large agricultural systems, so the landscape must be protected, as our Constitution states.

Salvatore Palitta (president of the La Concordia cooperative and the Agriexport Consortium, former president of the Consortium for the Protection of Pecorino Romano DOP): "It's obvious that speculative operations are damaging all aspects of agriculture. How can we prevent this? By offering farmers and ranchers the opportunity to increase alternative energy production, allowing them to do what is currently prohibited: exceeding their farm's needs. This increased production will help companies navigate a future that looks far from easy. The European Commission plans to shift funding for the sector into a cauldron, cutting it by at least 20 percent by 2027. Based on this, if there's a chance to earn some extra money on the sidelines of farming, it should be offered to those working in the fields and stables, excluding companies that arrive on the island with share capital of €10,000, who work tirelessly to obtain permits and then pass the buck to the real investor who engages in the most classic of speculative operations."

Marcello Mancosu (farmer): "The problem for farmers is the expropriation required by law. If farmers were allowed to produce a certain amount of energy from renewables beyond their needs, they could supplement their income and make their farms more productive."

Giovanni Barrocu (geologist, former professor of applied geology and scientific consultant to UNESCO): "The moment the soil is occupied by blades or panels, it is no longer productive. Not only that: the construction of turbines requires massive earthworks with massive injections of concrete that permanently change the composition of the sediment. Added to this is the violent erosion of the soil to open access roads to towers hundreds of meters high. There is another aspect that reverberates for the future: what will happen after the 25-30 years of the plants' life? We don't have the Nevada desert to bury them in. The illuminating example is that of Furtei: the Region had provided a surety bond to reclaim the land after the disastrous gold rush, but those papers turned out to be waste paper, the environment is still severely compromised. It's a terrifying prospect; it almost seems as if Sardinia has no right to be preserved." This doesn't mean dismissing alternative energy, which can be a solid support for businesses. Italy spent billions on two projects—in which I participated—that aimed to protect the soil, and fought against indiscriminate consumption. However, the agencies that were created subsequently ignored the risks, probably also due to the universities' failure to adequately train their technicians.

Anastasio Sanna (farmer): "They're throwing me out onto the streets. They want to expropriate the only field we had available for livestock, in Mogorella, to make way for wind turbines. It's a disadvantaged area, with little arable space. We made a lot of sacrifices to buy that land, but they arrived quietly, without asking, 'Can I come into your house?' I tried to find out more, but they never told me the truth. I raise goats, a humble profession; the noise of the wind turbines scares the animals and reduces production. Put yourself in my shoes, and tell me what I should do."

During a forum at the Unione Sarda, the mayor of Guspini said that agrivoltaics in the Medio Campidano region is often a form of speculation "that can damage crops; Sardinia is the testing ground." How can we protect ourselves?

Tandeddu: "We must prevent these forms of energy colonization. In the meantime, this legal outrage that allows profit-making companies to expropriate land must be eliminated: we're not talking about public interests, schools, or roads, but very private business. The law has existed since 2001, and I haven't seen a single member of parliament lead a fight to repeal it. In the meantime, I believe that the Sardinian law on Suitable Areas could be integrated with some parts of the Pratobello bill, signed by hundreds of thousands of people, leveraging the Region's primary expertise in urban planning."

Palitta: "In the Sassari area, when shady agrivoltaic cases came to light in a dramatic way, the judicial authorities investigated them. In my opinion, however, we need to focus on the advantages and disadvantages that alternative energy production can bring to our businesses, while naturally preserving the land and the environment. We are few in number, a million and a half in total, and often there is no generational turnover in our businesses because young people don't want to throw themselves into a tough and difficult job that keeps them tied down 24/7. We are vulnerable, the future of agriculture is in doubt, we are becoming a land of conquest: why not provide income supplementation with moderate renewable energy production to complement traditional operations?"

Mancosu: "Agrivoltaics installed one and a half meters above the ground have no value for agricultural production; it's just speculation. In Trentino, however, the apple orchards are protected by much higher panels. They rotate according to the sun, and combine harvesters pass underneath. I believe they could offer some advantages."

Barrocu: "They're not conducting adequate environmental impact studies. It's no coincidence—and I say this with regret—that all the professional associations involved remain silent. The ongoing assault is the subject of a complaint filed with all Sardinian public prosecutors."

Sanna: "What can I do to defend myself? Nothing. They didn't even tell me there was a project that affected my land. They held a meeting in town about this, but I couldn't go because it was calving season. I learned the truth from the people."

Maria Giovanna Bosco is the university researcher who conducted the first independent study on the case of Sardinia: she argues that renewables are a speculative bubble that enriches a few, devastates the environment, prevents energy prices from falling, and harms tourism and agriculture.

Tandeddu: "Let's get back to the point: we could solve our problems by installing panels on the roofs of businesses and buildings. Wind turbines, on the other hand, compromise the economy, the landscape, and agricultural development."

Palitta: "The huge plants—I'm thinking of the mountain-high wind turbines—are purely speculative. I hope this phase ends as soon as possible and we can reflect on the economics of Sardinian businesses and the impact of having them produce a little more energy for domestic use, without exporting it."

Mancosu: "Farmers must be allowed to produce energy as well, perhaps on 10 percent of their land, blocking the way for speculators. Otherwise, the future of the countryside is sealed. Meanwhile, a forest of wind turbines has grown between Guspini and Macchiareddu: what kind of Sardinia are they building?"

Barrocu: "The problems don't end with the panels and wind turbines: there are the batteries, which can't be recycled. It's a huge problem that we're leaving as a legacy for future generations."

Sanna: "There are dozens of nuraghi around our land, all registered, but the minimum distance from the wind turbines isn't enough to stop these companies. For us, it's over, the end . They advised us to seek a lawyer, but until the expropriation letter arrives, the lawyer can't do anything."

Enrico Fresu

Paul Paolini

Lorenzo Piras

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