New Energy World™
New Energy World™ embraces the whole energy industry as it connects and converges to address the decarbonisation challenge. It covers progress being made across the industry, from the dynamics under way to reduce emissions in oil and gas, through improvements to the efficiency of energy conversion and use, to cutting-edge initiatives in renewable and low-carbon technologies.
Iberdrola is building what is claimed to be Spain’s first hybrid wind and solar plant, in Castilla y León, to the north-west of the country.
Construction is underway on two photovoltaic (PV) plants of 41 MW and 33 MW, which will include more than 170,000 PV modules and will be located in the Burgos municipalities of Revilla Vallejera, Villamedianilla and Vallejera. The solar projects will then be hybridised with the existing 69 MW Ballestas and Casetona wind power complex.
Hybrid generation plants use the same grid connection point and share infrastructures such as the substation and the transmission line for the electricity produced. Furthermore, 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, comments Iberdrola.
In addition, reducing the intermittency resulting from changing environmental conditions (ie days without wind, or cloudy weather), the incorporation of solar modules with the wind farms will increase the contribution of clean, cheap and competitive energy to Spain’s electricity system, ensuring the maximum amount of green energy is supplied by each project for as long as possible, explains the company.
At the end of 2022, Iberdrola had 40,000 MW of renewable energy in operation, with plans for 7,675 MW more in the next four years.
