Iberdrola builds the first hybrid wind and solar plant in Spain

Iberdrola reinforces its innovative and renewable leadership in Spain and will build the first hybrid wind and solar plant in Spain in Castilla y León, in the province of Burgos.

The company continues with the construction of two photovoltaic plants of 41 and 33 megawatts (MW), which will total more than 170,000 photovoltaic modules and will be located in the Burgos municipalities of Revilla Vallejera, Villamedianilla and Vallejera, to hybridise the existing 69 MW BaCa - Ballestas and Casetona - wind power complex.

They have an important local component, which contributes to the revitalisation of the economy and employment in Castilla y León. Their development will involve 360 professionals.

The company is allocating more than 40 million euros to the construction of this project, which combines wind and solar energy at a single site. 

Hybridisation makes it possible to optimise the use of the grid and minimise the environmental impact of the projects in the places where they are located. Iberdrola will therefore invest in this technology over the coming years in Spain, with which it aims to improve its renewable resources and make the most of existing locations.

The incorporation of solar modules increases the contribution of clean, cheap and competitive energy to the electricity system of these facilities and guarantees that they supply the maximum amount of green energy originally authorised for each project for as long as possible.

By having two technologies capable of alternating, dependence on changing environmental conditions and limitations due to possible lack of resources such as wind or sunshine is 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. In addition, 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. All of this results in a much lower environmental impact than would have been the case with two independent plants.

Iberdrola promotes renewable energies as a driver of rural development and in this way the villages emerge as a guarantee for the future, as is the case in the villages of Castile and Leon, surrounded by wind farms and photovoltaic plants that Iberdrola is promoting and which will contribute to sustainable recovery, allowing local employment to be created.

In the region, the company has begun construction of the Valdemoro and Buniel wind farms, and has obtained the environmental green light for the Alcocero de Mola and Iglesias wind project, the latter with the most powerful onshore wind turbines in the world manufactured by Siemens Gamesa - the first 5.X platform equipment in Spain. In the province of Burgos alone, it has recently built or is developing more than 550 megawatts between seven wind farms.

Iberdrola is also currently developing three photovoltaic facilities in the region totalling 450 MW - Villarino, Velilla and Virgen de Areños III - and has commissioned its first photovoltaic 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 its position as an important centre for renewable energy developments in the company's investment cycle to 2025, where it already operates more than 5,150 MW, making it the autonomous region with the most 'green' megawatts installed by the company. 

The Iberdrola group began its commitment to renewable energies and storage more than two decades ago as a fundamental pillar on which to build a clean, reliable and intelligent business model. 

Thanks to this vision, the company is today a world leader in renewable energies, reaching 40,000 MW of renewable energy operational by the end of 2022 and with 7,675 MW to be executed in the next four years, and is a leader in the energy transition towards a low-emission economy.

Iberdrola is also a leader in energy storage with a capacity of 4,473 megawatts (MW) installed using pumped storage technology and more than 200 megawatts in batteries. At the end of 2022, the company reached 101 gigawatt hours (GWh) of storage capacity.

Its 2025 Strategic Plan envisages investment of 17,000 million euros in renewable businesses. Thanks to these investments, Iberdrola will increase its installed renewable capacity by 12,100 MW, reaching 52,000 MW in 2025 -3,100 MW of onshore wind, 6,300 MW of photovoltaic, 1,800 MW of offshore, 700 MW of batteries and 200 MW of hydro.