Valencia is installing thousands of solar panels in its cemeteries as part of the Requiem in Power (RIP) project, aiming to transform these spaces into green energy hubs. This initiative will be Spain’s largest urban solar farm, with the capacity to generate approximately 2.8 MW of electricity.
About 7,000 photovoltaic panels have been installed on crypts and other cemetery structures, according to an EU fact sheet. These public spaces provide ample area for clean energy generation, which will power public utilities and local households.
The RIP project is expected to save up to 140 tons of carbon emissions annually once fully operational. It is a key component of Valencia’s 2030 Climate Mission, positioning the city as a leader in the EU’s goal to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. Valencia aims to reach this target two decades early, by the end of this decade.
“In this climate emergency context, cities play a crucial role in combating climate change and are essential to the solution,” states the project’s website. The benefits of Valencia’s decarbonization include healthier residents, reduced traffic and noise, less pollution, more natural spaces, improved habits, and increased innovation. The goal is to make Valencia a healthier, more sustainable, and more liveable city.
Valencia is not the first to introduce such initiatives. In 2021, Saint-Joachim in France launched a project to turn its cemetery into a renewable energy hub, planning to install 5,000 panels by next year at a cost of around €3.3 million.
