"The future of our country and, in particular, the future of our village, Piornal, depends on the health of the planet."
The project 'A Town without smoke, Agenda 23/30' is an ambitious program that aims to reduce the emission of polluting gases (CO2) to zero by 2030 in the municipality of Piornal, in Cáceres province. The Citizen-led renovation Follower 'El salto del Calderón' (CEL) plans to substitute the electrical energy used coming from the grid (gas, nuclear power stations, etc.) with the local generation of clean energy from photovoltaic plants, mini-hydraulic and/or small wind power, among others, to cater for their homes, industries and institutions energy needs; to swap heating obtained from diesel boilers combustion by aerothermal heat pumps or biomass alternatives, etc. To provide local, fast-recharging infrastructure for electric vehicle transport, thereby reducing the use of fossil fuel combustion (petrol/diesel).
'Piornal, a Town without Smoke' is a high-impact project because it aims to utilise only the local natural resources that the environment offers: sun, water, wind, and biomass, combining solar energy, domestic wind power, aerothermal energy, biomass, and small-scale hydroelectric sourcing. For this reason, it is a pioneering project in the Extremadura region (Spain) that utilises different clean energies to achieve its ultimate goal: caring for the planet.
The cooperative thinks that it can become a working plan and a model to follow by other towns at the regional level (using Piornal as a reference) and to establish a network of Energy Communities in the northern regions of the province of Cáceres: La Vera, Ambroz, Gata, Hurdes, as all of them have similar natural resources.
Achieving energy independence is the goal. Not only generating economic energy but also achieving free energy for the whole town will make it more attractive for companies to be established here and promote the industrialisation of their region.
The progress of the town and, indeed, of the entire region needs industrialisation and attracting new businesses to operate at a local level. This will lead to the creation of jobs, which will help to combat youth unemployment. Piornal, due to its climate, is an ideal place for the installation of industries, including the drying of meat products.
Betting on the industrial revolution in Extremadura in the 21st century is to bring life to their rural town. This program will become a way to combat depopulation in rural areas, known as 'empty Spain', one of the biggest challenges the country faces today. An 'industrial' revolution will depend on the efficient management of the natural resources and materials that the region possesses, such as a high number of solar hours, abundant water, wind, and biomass.
Salto del Calderón
'Piornal, a Town without smoke' is a joint initiative of the Local Energy Cooperative and Citizen-led renovation Follower 'El Salto del Calderón' to promote a network and respond to the needs of the region. The community network of a village with over 2,000 inhabitants was built through the involvement of a diverse group of stakeholders. This included not only 225 families out of 500 living in the town but also four small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), such as bars, shops, and hair salons. Additionally, the local Town Council and the children and youth population from the CEIP Maximo Cruz Rebosa school, which worked on the Sustainable Development Goals, played a crucial role in this initiative.
Additionally, they receive support from the Provincial Council of Cáceres (deputy and head of environmental services), the Extremadura Energy Agency, Agenex (Transcom project), and the University of Extremadura (UEX, Polytechnic School of Cáceres), among others.
The driving agent is the Local Energy Community' Salto del Calderón', a Cooperative Society from the municipality of Piornal (Cáceres). An entity that arose from the citizens' initiative with open and non-discriminatory participation, its own governance and assembly-based decision-making, where everyone can identify with the projects. It is made up of 230 members (each of whom contributes a share capital of one hundred euros). Its challenge is to achieve energy self-sufficiency for Piornal by 2030, with Net-Zero emissions into the atmosphere.
Goals
The primary objective of the Local Energy Cooperative, known as CEL 'Salto del Calderón', is to provide environmental, social, and economic benefits to their community. The cooperative aims to protect its natural resources, align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and adhere to Agenda 2030. Their goals include achieving carbon neutrality, eliminating fossil fuels, reducing their environmental impact, promoting industrialisation in the town and surrounding areas, alleviating unemployment, combating rural depopulation, and improving the quality of life in the city. This approach reflects their commitment to thinking globally while acting locally.
Renewable energy sourcing
Piornal, situated as the highest village in the region, boasts remarkable natural resources due to its geographical location. Currently, approximately 45% of the dwellings are part of the CEL cooperative initiative., CEL is confident that it can achieve full participation of all inhabitants within the next seven years through their Agenda 23-30, "A Town Without Smoke."
Additionally, they have the support of the City Council, which facilitates the transfer or rental of the roofs of public buildings for renewable energy installations, further streamlining the process.
SOLAR ENERGY
Focusing on solar energy, particularly photovoltaic energy generation, is a priority given the high number of sunlight hours in the area. Thus, this was the first action undertaken in their initiative.
- In the initial phase, they installed a 120 kWp solar plant on the roof of one of the cooperative members' homes, fully funded by the cooperative members themselves (June 2024). This plant operates under the Shared Self-consumption with Surplus Compensation model, which is available in Spain. During its short operational period, the plant has generated approximately 15.5 MWh of energy. Environmental benefits. The equivalent of 2,452 trees planted and CO2 emission savings of 55,622.7 kg.
- Social benefits. 40% of the cooperatives are over 65 years of age and have opted for photovoltaic energy through the CEL. It has made it possible to provide electricity to families who would not have been able to install panels due to the shady location of their roofs. The cooperative fosters a culture of care for the environment and promotes gender equality through its plan and the Equality Committee.
- Economic benefits. Reduction in electricity bills. The plant has generated annual savings of approximately €100 for each member, based on a distribution of 0.5 kW per partner.
CEL Salto de Calderon plans to expand photovoltaic production in the second phase with the installation of 200 kWp plus 130 storage, and in the third phase with 200 kWp and 100 storage. These projects have been designed but not implemented yet.
MINI-WIND ENERGY
Winds are frequent, sometimes reaching significant gusts, i.e. there is adequate wind potential in the area, which could support the installation of wind or mini-wind generation systems. There are two possibilities:
- Line 1. Domestic wind turbines. Both commercial and hybrid wind turbines can be installed on the roofs of public buildings, including schools, older people's homes, water treatment plants, water tanks, sports halls, and other similar facilities.
- Line 2. Working with wind energy on a larger scale, with the installation of wind turbines in places with zero visual impact. Piornal has extensive municipal land that could be used for this purpose.
HYDRO ENERGY
The existing water resources in the area are very abundant, as befits a mountain environment.
- Mini-hydraulic -ETAP.
Currently, CEL sees the feasibility of using clean energy with the torrent of water that naturally flows to the village's drinking water treatment plant due to its course and slope. This project is currently under technical study by the UEX.
- Mini-pumping hydro near the municipality.
In the ponds of the local irrigation community located within the municipality, mini pumping stations can be installed to generate clean and easily storable energy (for times when solar energy is unavailable and as a natural battery) that is returned to the pond. This process does not involve water consumption for irrigators.
The nearest ponds are located in Fuente Matea, with a capacity of 12,000 m3.
- Mini-hydro is located farther away from the municipality.
In this line of study, CEL analysed the natural waterfalls. In the 1950s, Piornal was supplied with electricity from the old power station 'Fábrica de la Luz', located at the Calderón waterfall, from which the cooperative takes its name. This factory was owned by three partners from Piornal, who supplied electricity to Piornal and Barrado.
It is now possible to exploit these resources in various enclaves of the Bonal Gorge, which features a steep slope and is constructed at different elevations.
BIOMASS
The existing forests in the municipality generate resources that can be used to replace the high number of diesel heaters, significantly reducing carbon emissions into the atmosphere.
Environmental Education for Citizenship
To raise awareness of climate change, the use of clean energies, work with ODs, etc., the initiative is working with the adult population and with children and young people to achieve the objectives outlined above, carrying out a collaborative project with the following educational centres: CEIP Máximo Cruz Rebosa with the gamification programme' Agents against energy wastage'.
In public and private buildings, as well as in companies. To achieve an efficient use of energy, it is necessary to improve the energy efficiency of homes.
On 16 March 2023, CEL held the awareness workshop "Is your house thermally insulated? Presenting the different aids that the Junta de Extremadura has opened to achieve and promote this objective.
Impacts
The implementation of the project will boost the local economy by creating jobs, combating depopulation in rural areas and increasing the birth rate. Having a design and a roadmap will enable the achievement of objectives by 2030.
Piornal is a reference for the neighbouring villages, which will allow the creation of alliances and networks of green economy. In this way, an alternative to an exclusively agricultural economy is generated.
This proposal can serve as a model for other rural areas of the community, as it establishes a natural resource network that brings together different types of sustainable energy, thereby showcasing its pioneering character and networking capabilities. Achieving energy independence empowers the community and gives them the strength to undertake new projects that lead to achieving underlying objectives: increasing the local population, maintaining the educational ratio, and generating a future.
More information
EnVerde: CEL 'Salto del Calderón instala una planta fotovoltaica de 110 kWn - Unión Renovables
Details
- Publication date
- 2 June 2025
- Author
- Directorate-General for Energy