The City of Valencia in Spain has launched an initiative that aims to install 6,658 photovoltaic panels in local cemeteries. The “Requiem in Power (RIP)” project is expected to become the largest urban solar farm in the country, according to Alejandro Ramon, Councilor for Climate Emergency and Energy Transition for the City of Valencia.
By repurposing these spaces, the city aims to generate clean energy without altering the cemeteries’ primary function. Cemeteries tend to have fairly open spaces that receive decent sunlight, making them suitable locations for solar panel installations. The first phase of the project began with the installation of 810 photovoltaic panels on top of mausoleum structures in three city cemeteries, which will generate a total production of more than 440,000 kilowatts/year and more than 140 tons/year of carbon dioxide savings – greatly reducing the city’s carbon footprint. The electricity generated in the cemeteries will primarily be used for consumption in municipal buildings, with 25% of it also going to power a thousand vulnerable households.
The RIP project forms an integral part of the València 2030 Climate Mission, which has the long-term objectives of generating 27% of energy requirements by renewable sources; 100% of València’s renewable energy production capacity being incorporated into infrastructure and public buildings in the year 2030; city lighting becoming 100% LED; and local energy communities in València’s neighborhoods becoming a functioning reality. Valencia is aiming to achieve that goal on a municipal level 20 years ahead of schedule, reaching climate neutrality by the end of this decade.