Iberdrola obtains environmental green light for the development of its first photovoltaic project in the Valencia region

Iberdrola has obtained a favourable Environmental Impact Assessment Report (IDAA) for the development of its first photovoltaic project in the Valencia Region located in La Encina, a district of Villena (Alicante), so the company can continue with the corresponding authorisation procedure as no significant adverse effects on the environment have been detected.

The Alhorines PV installation will have an installed capacity of 50 megawatts (MW) and will consist of 92,000 photovoltaic modules that will generate approximately 84,000 megawatt hours of renewable energy per year, enough to supply a population equivalent to more than 25,000 homes and will prevent the emission of 11,500 tonnes of CO2.

During the process, the company has carried out a Landscape Integration Study of the plant, which has included a Public Participation Plan and which has allowed the residents to be involved in the integration of the project into the environment.

Another aspect raised during the process was the possibility of maintaining the vegetation under the photovoltaic modules and their corridors by means of sheep, as well as promoting the presence of pollinating insects in the area by installing beehives, measures that will have a positive economic effect.

Iberdrola has also complied with the various requests made by the Administration regarding the location of both the plant and the evacuation line in order to obtain the corresponding favourable Environmental Impact Assessment Report. The location of the photovoltaic modules next to motorways, roads and railways and the sharing of evacuation infrastructures with other projects have less impact on the environment.

The report also highlights that the construction process of the plant, which is expected to generate around 250 professional jobs at peak periods, will have an impact in relation to the economic development of the area through the recruitment of staff residing in the surrounding area.

In addition, the operation of the plant will lead to the creation of jobs for management and maintenance tasks, to which should be added the economic benefit for the owners of the plots of land on which the photovoltaic plant is located and the Villena Town Council itself.

To this project should be added the other two that Iberdrola is processing in the province of Alicante (FV Biar -45.5 MW- and FV Alcoi -49 MW-) and those in the Ayora-Cofrentes Valley (PSF Ayora 1 -200 MW- and FV Cofrentes I -200 MW-) in the province of Valencia, and with the intention of continuing to grow in the Valencia region, where the company manages more than 4,800 MW of renewable and sustainable energy, of which it is worth highlighting the Cortes-La Muela hydroelectric plant, which houses the largest pumping station in Europe, a gigabattery that guarantees the supply of the electricity system.