The unprecedented growth in the renewable energy sector in Spain is generating record profits for the companies involved, but it also raises concerns among society. As green energy companies in Spain experience a significant increase in their profits, the question arises whether this growth is sustainable and how it will affect the economic and environmental protection of the rural environment.

Since the construction of the first wind and photovoltaic installations in Spain almost 40 years ago, renewable energy companies have grown exponentially. In 2022, companies such as Ecoener, Opdenergy, Audax, and Soltec experienced historic profits, while Solaria and Acciona Energía doubled their results. Iberdrola, Spain's largest electricity company, also reached a historic net profit in 2022, with a substantial part of its earnings coming from the renewable energy business.

The economic growth of these companies is attributed to several factors, including cost efficiency, rising energy prices, and the rotation of assets in a market eager for renewable energy projects. However, this unprecedented growth has also generated some distrust in a part of society that fears that unbridled growth in the renewable energy sector may have negative consequences for the rural environment and the environment.

Governments around the world are promoting the transition to renewable energies as part of the national energy security strategy. Despite this, it is essential to balance this growth with the protection of the rural environment and the environment. The challenge lies in finding a middle ground that allows the sustainable growth of the renewable energy sector without compromising the quality of life and well-being of local communities and the natural environment.

The construction and operation of renewable energy projects, such as wind and solar parks, can have an impact on local biodiversity. For example, wind turbines can cause the death of birds and bats that collide with them, while the installation of large-scale solar panels can alter local ecosystems and affect fauna and flora.

In addition, the expansion of renewable energies requires large extensions of land to install wind and solar parks, which can lead to habitat fragmentation and the displacement of wildlife. And the installation of renewable energy infrastructure can alter the landscape and affect areas of heritage, historical, or cultural value.

It is paradoxical that the boom in renewable energies in Spain is leading to significant economic growth for the companies involved, supported on a clearly sustainable issue, but at the same time implies a negative impact on the rural environment and the environment.