Judge and part. He is the head of the Department of the Generalitat Valenciana in charge of granting authorizations to install photovoltaic and wind plants and, at the same time, is linked to several companies in the renewable sector dedicated to achieving permits for this type of business. This is the General Director of Energy and Mines, Manuel Argüelles, who before entering politics was already promoter and promoter of photovoltaic energy. As an entrepreneur and engineer.
Argüelles was chosen by Carlos Mazón to be a key piece in his commitment to this type of clean energy, after, according to the president of the Generalitat, the Consell del Botànic, had led to “a break (of the projects) by prejudices ideological ”. He placed Argüelles in the Department of Innovation, Industry and Tourism, then directed by Nuria Montes, on October 19, 2023. The appointment forced the new high position to renounce his presence in the governing bodies of a dozen companies, in Some of which was a founding partner. Among them is Pvingen Solar Beta, of which he was a solidarity administrator from July 2, 2021 to November 28, 2023, when he resigned from the post to avoid incurring incompatibility with his public office.
Left charges but did not transfer the actions
On May 29, 2024, the Generalitat authorized that company to implement on non -urbanizable land in the municipality of Monforte del Cid, near the city of Alicante, a 4,000 kW photovoltaic plant. The authorization was published in the DOCV on July 5, 2024. Argüelles is a beneficiary of that concession while participating as a partner in the mercantile who has obtained the license. Because although it ceased as a manager, he never settled his economic interests in society.
To what extent? PV Ingenergy Solar Beta is owned by PV Engineering Engineers, whose founding partner and former solidarity administrator is Argüelles himself. It is the matrix of the thirteen signatures linked to the general director during his career in the private sector. The person in charge of the department authorizing the renewable plants of the Valencian Community ceased on October 27, 2023 as administrator of that mother company, but remains a partner through EFYAH Solutions, a 100% property firm owned by the high position. Argüelles has the 3,000 euros of share capital of this SL, as stated in the declaration of goods presented on the occasion of its appointment.
Four megawattios and almost 7,300 panels
Since May 24, 2017, he was a single and unique partner of EFYAH. As in other cases, it ceased as a manager, on November 24, 2023, but did not transfer the actions. Therefore, in his condition as co -owner of PV Engineer Solutions he is a partner of the beneficiary of permits to install the photovoltaic of 4 megawatts in the aforementioned municipality of Vinalopó. This solar plant covers an area of 93,591 square meters and provides for the installation of 7,290 photovoltaic panels.
The engineer responsible for the project is Gonzalo Navarro, also a partner of Argüelles at PV Engine Solutions, through his company Inversiones Mendinavarro. The granting of the permission to build this renewable plant was signed by Rosa María Aragonese, head of industry, energy and mines service in Alicante. As they are facilities with a power of less than 10 megawatts, the competence of the resolution of the file is of the territorial services, which depend on Argüelles. The administrative authorization itself states that any resource will be resolved by the General Directorate of Energy and Mines directly in Valencia.
Municipal Works License
On January 8, PV Ingenergy Solar Beta requested the urban planning license to build the plant. The Consistory, whose mayor, Juan José Hernández, is from Esquerra Unida, is obliged to grant permission, given that it is an administrative act of procedure to which the City Council cannot refuse. This Alicante municipality houses several solar plants due to various factors. Among others, the orography of the land, the abandonment of dry land or the practice absence of flood areas, according to the Patricova.
The authorizations resale business
All engineering companies linked to Argüelles are sl of just 3,000 euros of social capital, although they manage authorizations for projects that move millions of euros. Sector sources indicate that the practice of managing permits is quite common without any encouragement to develop projects but with the mere intention of reselling licenses. Among other reasons because they lack technological capacity and to capture sufficient resources to launch plants. They are more on account to give the pass to specialized investment funds or other companies with the greatest potential. In the market of this speculative practice that contributes to the bubble of renewables the price of authorized megawatio lies between 150,000 and 200,000 euros, according to an expert. Thus, a project like Monforte del Cid could be sold perfectly for between 600,000 and 800,000 euros before undertaking the construction of the facilities.
Argüelles: “In the territorial of Alicante they did not know that I was a member”
The general director of Energy admits that he is a partner of the plant whose authorization was granted by the department he directs: “Yes, I have a small part, more or less a twelve part.” Through his firm Efyah Solutions, co -ownership of PV Solutions, the matrix of the promoter society. From this mercantile they are promoted, he explained, “small projects in which she participates with 10% with different investors.”
But he alleges that those who processed and signed the resolution ignored that their boss was behind the business. “It was authorized from Alicante and nobody knew there that I participated,” he explained to Eldiariocv.es. The definitive Plácet arrived when the high position had already been seven months as a general director, but Argüelles points out that the processing started “long before I arrived” to the Generalitat.
The high position considers that compatibility problems would be clear because, by indication of transparency, he says, he left his positions in companies. In some he had to give relief to his ex -wife, he says. “They told me that I couldn’t be administrator of any company.” He maintained, yes, “only my shareholding part.” Nor does it detect in it any possible conflict of interest. Because, he argues, “I do not participate, nor have I gained dividends, neither salaries nor any amount of the company.” It is simply its owner, the businessman.
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