In Spain, especially in Andalusia, the world’s leading olive oil region, there’s an ongoing controversy where large- scale solar farms are being installed on agricultural land.

Large- scale solar farms continue to be built on prime olive grove land, often involving the uprooting of centuries- old trees. The sunny climate that makes the area perfect for olives also drives aggressive renewable energy targets, leading to a direct clash between green energy goals and agricultural/cultural heritage.

The Andalusian regional government has approved 25 mega-solar plants across roughly 5,500 hectares of olive groves, mainly in Jaén and Córdoba provinces.

Spain, as the world’s top olive oil producer, has vast olive groves, especially in provinces like Jaén and Córdoba. The sunny climate (nearly 3,000 hours of sunshine annually) makes it ideal for solar energy, and the government has pushed aggressive renewable targets, including massive ground- mounted photovoltaic projects.

In areas like Lopera (Jaén), projects by companies such as Greenalia have already removed thousands of olive trees, with some reports citing ancient or centuries- old specimens.

Campaigners and farmers have warned that planned solar parks could lead to the loss of tens to hundreds of thousands of trees overall, estimates vary widely (e.g., nearly 100,000 for certain clusters of projects, or even claims of half a million across broader initiatives), though official figures are often lower (around 13,000 in some cases).

Local olive farmers face expropriation under “public interest” declarations by the regional Junta de Andalucía government, sometimes using older laws.

This has sparked protests, criminal complaints against developers, and calls for moratoriums, as it threatens livelihoods, traditional rural life, and cultural heritage.

Farmers describe it as destructive to their way of life, with one calling tree removal for panels a “crime.”

Spain’s push for renewables has seen fertile land repurposed, leading to debates about balancing clean energy with food security and biodiversity.

Critics highlight irony in removing carbon-sequestering trees and habitats (affecting bees, insects, etc.) to save the planet.

Latest Developments

The debate is still going on.

March 3, 2026, international coverage highlighted the ongoing struggle in southern Spain between traditional olive harvests and mega solar parks but no resolution in sight.

Agrivoltaics (“Olivoltaics”)

Agrivoltaics, also called “agrivoltaic systems” or “dual-use solar”, integrates solar photovoltaic (PV) panels with agricultural production on the same land.

Panels are typically elevated (e.g., 2–4 meters high) and spaced to allow farming, grazing, or crop growth underneath or between rows. This approach resolves land-use conflicts between food production and renewable energy, especially relevant in sunny regions like Spain’s olive groves, also called “olivoltaics”.

Research from Spanish institutions (University of Córdoba, Jaén, and others) strongly supports integrating solar panels with olive groves instead of full replacement.

Simulations show dual- use on intensive/super-intensive groves could generate significant electricity (e.g., ~15 TWh/year from just 80,000 hectares) with minimal crop impact.

Elevated panels between rows provide shade and wind protection for trees (potentially increasing olive yields in hot climates).

Olive evapotranspiration cools the panels, boosting their efficiency.

This approach could harmonize renewable energy and olive production, but much of the current rollout involves full replacement rather than integration, fueling the tensions.