When Agrivoltaics Meet Solar Energy Communities

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  • Spanish solar company Transiciรณn Energรฉtica Solar (Tranesol) and Sapiens Energรญa, a non-profit cooperative specialized in the creation and management of energy communities, have joined forces to promote the first agrivoltaic projects in Spain that will be built under the energy community formula.

In a first phase, Sapiens Energรญa and Tranesol will build two projects in the Valencian community, in the towns of Picassent, with an installed capacity of 1.5 MW; and in Montserrat, where the project will have an installed power of 1 MW.

The two companies specified that the two projects, which could be expanded at a later stage, are expected to meet, each, the energy needs of some 500 users. The generated power will be shared between individuals, companies and public bodies.ย 

Construction of the two facilities should begin before the summer, with completion being scheduled by the end of 2021. Valencia-based company Ingenierรญa y Desarrollos Renovables (Inderen) will act as EPC contractor.ย 

Tanesol specified that the two agrivoltaic facilities are the first high voltage renewable energy community (CER) projects to be developed in Spain. The projects will be co-financed by Spain’s Institute for Diversification and Saving of Energy; the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF); and users that join the project as partners of the energy community through the Sapiens Energรญa cooperative. The project is also open โ€œto companies with concern for their social and environmental impacts, to join.โ€

Currently, of the 33 projects of local energy communities registered in Spain by the Institute for Diversification and Saving of Energy that are in different stages of development, eight are framed in the Valencian community. The Valencian Institute of Business Competitiveness (IVACE), dependent on the Ministry of Economy, has announced that this year it will quadruple the line of non-refundable grants for the development of photovoltaic installations in local energy communities, with up to โ‚ฌ2 million. The grants cover up to 65% of the total investment.

Author: Pilar Sรกnchez Molina

This article was originally published in pv magazine and is republished with permission.

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