Rumores Renovables

The report identifies a network of Spanish-speaking accounts, primarily right-wing and based in Spain, that disseminate misinformation about renewable energy. Key narratives include claims that wildfires are intentionally set to clear land for wind farms and that renewable technologies harm wildlife or pollute the environment. The analysis reveals that these narratives often originate in other languages, are amplified by influential right-wing figures, and correlate with extreme weather events or policy changes.

• The conversation opposing renewable energy in Spanish is dominated by a right-wing network, primarily based in Spain. The largest group in the analyzed network, 'ESP Derechista|Conservador|Pro-VOX', accounts for 34% of the accounts and shows explicit support for the far-right party VOX.
• Anti-renewable narratives have a disproportionate impact on engagement. In a sample of publications, these narratives represented less than half of the posts but accounted for 66% of total interactions.
• Several core narratives are used to undermine renewable energy: claims that wildfires are intentionally started to clear land for projects, that wind turbines kill whales and other animals, that solar panels contaminate groundwater with lead and cadmium, that renewables are unreliable, and that they only benefit a wealthy global elite.
• The volume of anti-renewable content peaks in correlation with extreme weather events or specific policy developments. Examples include spikes during the Asturias wildfires in 2023 and the announcement by Mexican President López Obrador regarding the purchase of gas plants and a wind farm from Iberdrola.
• Anti-renewable discourse frequently relies on the translation and adaptation of foreign narratives. For instance, the claim that wildfires are set to clear land for wind turbines appeared in Greek as early as 2018 before spreading to Spanish, Portuguese, and English contexts.
• Influential actors use multi-platform strategies and multiple accounts to expand their reach. This includes the use of parody accounts like @Agenda2030_ and the coordination of identical content across various regional Facebook pages of the VOX party.

APA

G., C. L., & Lakatos, S. (2023). Rumores Renovables. GreenLatinos. https://www.greenlatinos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/graphika-report_rumores-renovables_ESP.pdf

Chicago

G., Cristina López, and Santiago Lakatos. Rumores Renovables. GreenLatinos, 2023. https://www.greenlatinos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/graphika-report_rumores-renovables_ESP.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=G. |first1=Cristina López |last2=Lakatos |first2=Santiago |title=Rumores Renovables |publisher=GreenLatinos |date=2023 |url=https://www.greenlatinos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/graphika-report_rumores-renovables_ESP.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{g2023rumores, author = {G., Cristina López and Lakatos, Santiago}, title = {{Rumores Renovables}}, institution = {GreenLatinos}, year = {2023}, url = {https://www.greenlatinos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/graphika-report_rumores-renovables_ESP.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }