Environmental green light for Holcim's self-consumption solar plant

The Provincial Delegation for Sustainable Development of Toledo has formulated the environmental impact report for the self-consumption photovoltaic solar plant project for Holcim España, SAU in Villaluenga de la Sagra (Toledo), via a resolution dated August 25, 2026, published in the Official Gazette of Castilla-La Mancha (DOCM) on September 4. The report concludes that the installation, with 12.6 MWp, does not need to undergo an Ordinary Environmental Impact Assessment as it is estimated that it does not produce significant effects on the environment, provided that the established environmental and monitoring measures are met.

The decision is adopted under Law 2/2020, of February 7, on Environmental Assessment of Castilla-La Mancha, which subjects solar installations of more than 10 hectares not included in Annex I to a simplified assessment. The project, identified by file S478/2025/TO/00026 and reference 2026/6380, falls under Group 4 (Energy Industry) of Annex II of the regulation and is signed by the provincial delegate, José Rubén Torres Moratalla.

Self-consumption for the cement factory

The plant, operating in self-consumption mode without surpluses and with an anti-injection system, will supply energy to Holcim’s cement facilities in the town. It will be deployed in two distinct areas (A and B) across seven cadastral plots adjacent to the factory, with a total occupation of 18.67 hectares, of which 18.60 are delimited by fencing.

• 21,735 photovoltaic modules of 580 Wp on east-west single-axis trackers.
• 31 inverters and 3 transformers that step up the energy to 6 kV.
• Medium-voltage evacuation line in two circuits (1,140 and 1,590 meters), with underground and overhead sections.
• Game-proof perimeter fencing of 2 meters and 3,560 linear meters.
• Connection to the existing substation inside the factory, without constructing a new one.

The selected alternative (Alternative 3) reduces the fenced area by 22.5% compared to the initial options, minimizing the footprint on the land.

Protection of avifauna and steppe flora

The environment is notable for its value to protected steppe avifauna (little bustard, mongolian harrier, hen harrier, great bustard, Iberian courser) and for the presence of threatened argillaceous flora such as Carduncellus matritensis, a species considered extinct in the national inventory. Therefore, the report imposes a program of compensatory measures that includes:

• GPS-GSM marking of little bustard and lesser kestrel specimens before the works.
• Rescue program for harrier nests and chicks.
• Restoration of argillaceous flora in collaboration with the University of Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM).
• Mandatory biological shutdown between March 1 and July 31, outside the breeding period.

The fencing will incorporate high-visibility anti-collision plates, and a 25-meter easement corridor will be respected on the Vereda del Monte livestock route. The reports from the Tagus Hydrographic Confederation, ADIF, and the Villaluenga de la Sagra City Council were favorable.

Validity and processing

The environmental impact report will have a maximum validity of four years from its publication in the DOCM, extendable for an additional two years. Before executing the project, Holcim must obtain the substantive authorization from the Industry and Energy Service, the municipal license, and sectoral authorizations, including that of ADIF for the crossing of the Asland-Villaluenga railway line via horizontal directional drilling.

The resolution represents a key step for the Villaluenga de la Sagra cement plant to reduce its dependence on the grid and fossil fuels, in line with the decarbonization of the regional cement industry. Furthermore, the project conditions its development on rigorous environmental monitoring that guarantees the compatibility of renewable generation with the conservation of the steppe and its protected species.

Source: Official Gazette of Castilla-La Mancha, no. 170, September 4, 2026, Section III. Other provisions and acts, page 31382 (official reference: 2026/6380).