Green Concerns Collide: Discourses, Truth Claims and Power Relations in Solar Park Developments in the Comunidad de Valencia, Spain

Abstract

The urgent demand for renewable energy is reshaping rural landscapes worldwide, often igniting conflicts over land use, economic priorities, and social equity. This study investigates these dynamics in the Comunidad de Valencia, Spain, where rapid large-scale solar park developments clash with the interests of local communities, municipalities, and private entities. Employing a Foucauldian discourse analysis, this thesis explores how power relations manifest in the competing truth claims of stakeholders. Findings reveal that while renewable energy is framed as a universally beneficial solution to climate change, its implementation in Valencia often marginalises rural communities, treating them as “sacrifice zones” to urban energy demands. Local resistance movements, summarised in the slogan “Renewables yes, but not like this,” articulate a call for equitable and ecologically sensitive energy policies. This research highlights the need for participatory governance frameworks that balance environmental goals with social justice.

Keywords: Discourse analysis, Environmental justice, Green energy transition, Power relations, Solar parks, Political ecology, Foucauldian analysis, Green energy, Renewable energy