Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Solar
  3. 29 May 24
  4. BayWa r.e. and VELUX’s first Spanish Agri-PV project now operational

BayWa r.e. and VELUX’s first Spanish Agri-PV project now operational

Published by , Editorial Assistant
Energy Global,

A large solar farm developed for the VELUX Group to meet its renewable power needs in Europe is now fully operational and connected to the local electricity grid in Spain. The 54 MWp photovoltaic (PV) farm integrates renewable electricity production, agriculture, and biodiversity. It is the first Agri-PV solar farm that BayWa r.e. have built in Spain, based on a power purchase agreement (PPA) with VELUX.

In November 2022, the VELUX Group and BayWa r.e. announced a PPA to develop two large solar PV farms in southern Spain: one in Gerena, close to Seville, and the other in Alhendín, near Granada. The Alhendín farm was recently completed and is now delivering electricity to the local power grid.

With Alhendín fully operational, VELUX has achieved its 100% renewable electricity goal, while enabling a new renewable energy plant in Europe. The farm consists of more than 85 000 solar panels and produces 96.8 GWh of electricity annually, equivalent to the electricity consumption of 24 700 households.

The Alhendín solar farm is a pioneering Agri-PV installation, combining renewable energy generation and agriculture: about 10% of the farm is designed to allow farming machinery to pass between solar panels. This project is the first of its kind for BayWa r.e. in Spain.

“The completion of the Alhendín solar farm and the connection of it to the Spanish electricity grid is a great achievement, allowing VELUX to meet its renewable electricity targets,” said Kim Jonas, Energy and Climate Director of The VELUX Group. “The agricultural and biodiversity components of the project resonate well with our dual focus on climate action and improving biodiversity. In partnership with BayWa r.e., we are now implementing the concept of solar plant symbiosis, which seeks to integrate solar farms with nature and community for mutual benefits.”

“We are delighted to support VELUX in reaching its goal of 100% renewable electricity for its European operations. This achievement represents an important milestone in BayWa r.e.’s own commitment to advancing the corporate energy transition that is so pivotal for meeting global climate targets. We are aligned with VELUX to go above and beyond normal standards, which allows us to implement pioneering elements like Agri-PV, as well as improving biodiversity and fostering community engagement, for maximum local value creation,” added Daniel Gäfke, Global Director of Projects and Executive Member of the Board at BayWa r.e.

Solar plant symbiosis

The solar plant symbiosis includes a suite of measures to enhance biodiversity and foster community involvement. The project is currently being developed in partnership with the two Spanish universities Universidad de Córdoba and Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.

So far, the scope of the Solar Plant Symbiosis includes the following additional measures:

  • Baseline studies, digitalisation and monitoring of vegetation.
  • Agri-PV pilot and rainwater collection system
  • Grass planting with natural seeds and wildflower species
  • Wildlife refuges, ponds for amphibians, bird drinking tanks, nest boxes and posts
  • Hatching area to protect the endangered Lesser Kestrel bird species
  • Steppe habitat improvement
  • Monitoring and assessment of measures to create a guide of best practices that can be replicated in other projects
  • Social actions in the area, such as workshops with local interest groups and educational school visits

    • Looking ahead

    These measures in the Alhendín farm will be established step by step and are expected to be fully realised by Spring 2025. The Gerena solar farm is awaiting regulatory approval locally and is scheduled to be completed in 2025. The capacity of the Gerena farm is expected to be about 60 MWp.

    When both solar plants are fully operational, they will generate 167 GWh of renewable electricity annually for VELUX, equivalent to the electricity consumption of approximately 45,000 European homes. About 80% of the electricity produced from the plants will be generated due to the PPA with VELUX. The PPA will reduce the carbon footprint of the VELUX Group by approximately 40 000 tpy of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) from the company’s European operations and activities.

     

     

    For more news and technical articles from the global renewable industry, read the latest issue of Energy Global magazine.

    Energy Global's Spring 2024 issue

    The Spring 2024 issue of Energy Global starts with a guest comment from Field on how battery storage sites can serve as a viable solution to curtailed energy, before moving on to a regional report from Théodore Reed-Martin, Editorial Assistant, Energy Global, looking at the state of renewables in Europe. This issue also hosts an array of technical articles on electrical infrastructure, turbine and blade monitoring, battery storage technology, coatings, and more.

    Read the article online at: https://www.energyglobal.com/solar/29052024/baywa-re-and-veluxs-first-spanish-agri-pv-project-now-operational/

    You might also like

    An evolution in wind energy

    Stefano Santoni, Davi, Italy, examines the need for offshore and onshore wind turbine components to meet increasing demand in the wake of the growth of wind energy.

     
     

    Embed article link: (copy the HTML code below):