Iberdrola, a leading Spanish utility company, is set to bolster its position as a leader in renewable energy in Spain by constructing the country's first hybrid wind and solar complex. The company is building two photovoltaic (PV) plants with a combined capacity of 74 MW in the province of Burgos. The plants will consist of over 170,000 modules and will be located in the municipalities of Revilla Vallejera, Villamedianilla, and Vallejera, Spain. The new installations will enable the hybridisation of the existing 69 MW BaCa – Ballestas and Casetona – wind farm.
The project is expected to contribute to the development of the local economy in Castille and León, Spain, with peak construction involving 360 jobs. Iberdrola has allocated over €40 million to the construction of this hybrid wind and solar project, which will combine both forms of renewable energy at a single site. The company plans to invest in this technology over the coming years in Spain, which will allow it to improve its renewable resources and make the most of existing locations.
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The use of cutting-edge technology will increase the performance of existing wind facilities and contribute clean, cheap, and competitive energy to the electricity system by guaranteeing the maximum supply of green energy authorized for each project for as long as possible. With the incorporation of solar modules, the dependence on changing environmental conditions and limitations due to possible lack of resources such as wind or sunshine will be significantly reduced, facilitating more stable and efficient renewable production.
Hybrid generation plants use the same grid connection point and share infrastructures, such as the substation and the evacuation line for the electricity produced. They are located on land that was already used for renewable generation and allow for common roads and facilities for the operation of both technologies. This results in a much lower environmental impact than would have been the case with two independent plants.
Iberdrola promotes renewable energy as a driver of rural development, and in this way, the villages of Castille and León emerge as a guarantee for the future. The company's projects will contribute to sustainable recovery, allowing for local employment to be created. In the province of Burgos alone, Iberdrola has recently built or is developing more than 550 MW spread between seven wind farms. The company is also developing three PV facilities in the region, totalling 450 MW and has commissioned its first PV plant in the region – Revilla-Vallejera (50 MW) – in the province of Burgos.
With these projects, Iberdrola reinforces its commitment to Castilla y León, which is consolidating as an important centre for renewable energy developments. Iberdrola already operates more than 5,150 MW in the region, and its initiatives in the area will contribute to the creation of a new energy landscape, which fixes the population to rural areas.
