Pollensa's mayor, Martí March, says he knew nothing about plans for developing a renewable energy battery storage plant on rustic land in the municipality until he read an announcement in the Balearic Islands Official Bulletin.
A developer, Atlántica Energía Sostenible España SLU, has asked the regional government to declare this a strategic industrial project, which would mean giving it planning priority.
The location is the industrial estate area in Pollensa. The plant would be on a 3,000 square-metre plot; the investment is put at €5.8 million. It would have storage capacity of 40 megawatts per hour, sufficient to store renewable energy and release it during times of peak demand. The Balearic Government has opened a thirty-day public consultation process, during which submissions can be made by interested parties, including residents.
While the plant would place Pollensa on Mallorca's energy transition map, there is bound to be a debate because of the proposed use of rustic land.
Criticism of the plan has already been expressed. The Alternativa per Pollença stated on social media on Friday that it makes no sense to use rustic land when the industrial estate itself has not been fully occupied.