As part of its On the Road series, Enlit Europe visited the ECOLOOP Project near Valencia, Spain, to see firsthand how the initiative is helping rural communities lower their carbon footprint through a powerful mix of renewable energy technologies and circular farming practices.
At the heart of ECOLOOP’s mission is the integration of the agricultural sector into the energy transition. Project coordinator Sheila Sánchez from ETRA is leading the charge, overseeing the development of seven innovative solutions across four pilot sites aimed at making renewable energy work for rural areas.
Clean Energy Meets Circular Farming
Just 20 kilometers from Valencia, in the town of Picassent, Sánchez welcomes the Enlit team to one of the project’s pilot sites. Despite the chilly morning, the temperature quickly rises as the conversation takes place inside a solar-PV-powered greenhouse, surrounded by rows of dragon fruit plants.
But solar isn’t the only renewable source at play. This greenhouse will soon harness geothermal energy from the subsoil of nearby crop fields—part of ECOLOOP’s broader strategy to integrate multiple energy sources including biogas, biomass, agri-PV, and geothermal systems.
“With ECOLOOP, we’re not just testing technology—we’re demonstrating how a combination of solutions can make rural communities more sustainable and energy independent,” Sánchez explains.
By combining renewable energy with smart, circular farming practices, ECOLOOP is creating a scalable model for the future of rural development in Europe—one that empowers farmers, supports local economies, and contributes to the EU’s climate goals.