In a bid to diversify their business strategies, oil multinationals are buying up land and investing in solar megaprojects. However, these projects often employ creative strategies to avoid environmental scrutiny. They also bypass local communities, fuelling opposition to renewable energy. This cross-border investigation sheds light on the risks of a profit-driven transition in Spain and Italy.
According to Josep Nualart Corpas, energy researcher at ODG Catalonia and member of the Catalan Network for Energy Sovereignty, this growing presence of fossil fuel giants in the renewable sector should be treated with caution. “Big oil and fossil gas companies are not truly committed to shifting energy production towards renewables or to deeply transforming the energy system,” he explains. “Their interest surged when public funds became available. If fossil fuel projects continue to benefit from historical financial and tax advantages, these companies will step back from renewables or pursue only the most profitable ones.”
Indeed, many of these large-scale solar and wind projects are driven by economic logic rather than public interest. “The energy transition is being used to retain power within the existing energy system,” Nualart Corpas continues. “These corporations promote flagship renewable projects, but their main focus remains on false solutions – like hydrogen and biogas – that maintain centralised control and profitability.”