German renewable energy company BayWa r.e. has secured Denmark based roof window manufacturer Velux Group as the corporate offtaker of solar power from 2 facilities in Spain out of which one is planned as an agrivoltaic project.
Alhendín solar park will be BayWa's 1st agrivoltaic project which will have taller rows of panels to allow for food production and heavy agricultural machinery to pass between the panels. Solar modules installed with a tilt will help the farmers collect rainwater and hedge against droughts in a very dry area.
Both the projects will be located in Southern Spain, one near Seville and the other close to Granada. Together, these will generate 167 GWh annually once these are grid connected in 2023 and 2024.
Velux will procure 80% of the electricity generated by both the plants under power purchase agreements (PPA), as the corporate targets to recue 100% emissions from its own operations and activities by 2030. Remaining 20% will be fed into the grid.
BayWa is also partnering with the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and Universidad de Córdoba to form an interdisciplinary research group that will devise a 'comprehensive and bespoke site strategy' aligned with the objective to prioritize local environment and communities.
"This project is so exciting because it perfectly embodies the synergies between new solar generation, Agri-PV, community partnerships and biodiversity," said BayWa CEO, Matthias Taft. "Advancing the corporate energy transition is a huge focus for us, so it's a major milestone for BayWa r.e. to help the VELUX Group achieve its renewable electricity targets with these PPAs."
This is however, not BayWa's 1st agrivoltaic project. In March 2021, it completed 1.2 MW agrivoltaic project in the Netherlands, expanding on a pilot facility set up in 2020 (see BayWa Completes Agrivoltaic Facility In The Netherlands).
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