Spain: Solar energy boom stalls in Xàtiva: Three photovoltaic plant projects scrapped in six months

The rollout of large-scale photovoltaic facilities in Xàtiva continues to be marked by a string of stalled projects. The regional government has effectively closed the file on a third solar plant in just six months, this time following the promoter’s withdrawal in response to environmental requirements aimed at protecting threatened species. The project, known as the Tosal Solar plant, was designed to feature 9,450 panels with a capacity of 4.8 megawatts. The developer, Energía Radiador, a company linked to the German group Abo Wind, had planned to build the facility on agricultural land adjacent to the Carraixet ravine and the CV-41 road.

The decision to pull out came after the promoter received a favorable report from the Directorate General for Natural and Animal Environment, though the approval was contingent on the implementation of corrective measures, particularly those intended to prevent harm to protected flora. The company has determined that these restrictions render the investment unviable and has additionally requested the return of the financial guarantee it deposited to process the permits for grid connection.

The Territorial Energy and Mining Service’s resolution accepts the withdrawal filed on October 8 and declares the administrative procedure, initiated in June 2023, concluded, resulting in the closure of the case file.

The protection of an endemic plant

The initiative had encountered significant environmental hurdles during its regulatory processing. In July 2025, the Valencian regional government determined that the project could not proceed under the simplified environmental impact assessment procedure, concluding that it was impossible to rule out significant adverse effects on the surrounding environment. This ruling required the project to undergo a standard environmental impact assessment, a more comprehensive process. A major obstacle was the presence of Limonium mansanetianum, a plant known locally as saladilla or ensopeguera de Mansanet. This endemic species is listed in the Valencian Catalogue of Threatened Flora Species, and its distribution is restricted to a few specific sites in the region, including les Salines de Manuel, the Font Amarga in Castelló de la Ribera, and Xàtiva.

The underground power line designed to evacuate the generated electricity, spanning approximately 2.8 kilometers through the territories of Xàtiva and Manuel, was routed near les Salines and Barranco Largo. These areas had been identified as habitats for the protected species in question. The environmental studies also flagged other threatened species within the project’s footprint, including the Valencian kingfisher and the loina fish, both classified as endangered. Additionally, the large brown bat, the common barn owl, and the river blenny were noted as vulnerable.

Despite these objections, the Natural Environment department issued a favorable report on the project on September 17, subject to the implementation of its recommendations and corrective measures. The decision was communicated to the developer on September 25, and just thirteen days later, Energía Radiador formally withdrew its application. In its submission, the company argued that the conditions imposed constituted an "impediment to the construction of the project" that was beyond its control. This argument is significant for its claim to recover the financial guarantee posted to process the permits for access to and connection with the electrical grid. However, the Valencian regional government clarified that the return of the bond is not resolved by the closure of the plant file and must follow a separate procedural track.

Three projects shelved in 2026

The withdrawal of the Tosal Solar project joins two other photovoltaic initiatives in Xàtiva that had begun their administrative processes but also saw their procedures conclude this year. The most recent of these was Parque Solar Sito's King, the first major solar plant announced in the Carraixet area since the pandemic. Located near the Tossal de la Palma ravine and the CV-563 highway, the facility was initially designed to incorporate nearly 6,000 solar panels with a capacity of 3.885 megawatts. Its file was archived in October after four years of processing and successive modifications aimed at addressing objections from various authorities. Among the changes implemented were a reduction in the number of panels and the complete undergrounding of the evacuation line. Although the Natural Environment department issued a conditional favorable report in September, the project was definitively halted due to the expiration of the permits for access and grid connection, as the required administrative milestones were not met within the legal deadlines.

The third project to fall through was the one proposed in the Canyoles area, a process that the regional government closed in May after the developer failed to take any action.