Iberdrola España invests more than €250M in its first photovoltaic plants in the Valencian Community
- The company has begun construction of the Ayora 1 and Cofrentes I farms, which will add more than 360 megawatts of power and help increasing the region's energy independence
- The renewable infrastructure will generate clean, local energy to supply 200,000 homes, and construction will create up to 1,300 jobs
- Projects will be carried out to encourage the coexistence of the facilities with biodiversity, including the creation of a wildlife reserve on more than 90 hectares
Iberdrola España has begun construction of its first two photovoltaic plants in the Valencian Community, with an investment of €252M and adding a total capacity of 366 megawatts (MW), which will help increase the region's energy independence.
The Cofrentes I (184 MW) and Ayora 1 (182 MW) farms, both in the province of Valencia, will generate more than 650,000 megawatt hours a year of clean, competitive and local energy capable of supplying approximately 200,000 homes and preventing the release of 52,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere each year.
The construction of these renewable energy facilities will boost the local and regional business fabric of the Ayora-Cofrentes valley, as they will employ around 1,300 workers during peak periods, most of whom will be from the area. The company is in contact with local councils to provide training over the coming weeks so that unemployed people in the area can join the workforce.
National suppliers such as Ingeteam, Eiffage, Ormazabal, Mesa and OHLA have also been involved, which strengthens the national renewable energy business ecosystem.
The commissioning of the photovoltaic plants, scheduled for the end of 2026, will also lead to the creation of local jobs for management and maintenance tasks, in addition to the benefits for the owners of the land on which the infrastructure will be built, as well as the local councils that host them, meaning that opening the facilities will contribute to the region’s economic development.
The company, which is selectively investing in photovoltaic projects linked to renewable power purchase agreements (PPA) and with investment partners, has an installed generation capacity of more than 4,840 MW in the region, of which more than 3,000 MW are CO2-emissions free. The regions is also home to Europe's largest pumped power plant, an energy storage facility that guarantees the electricity system’s supply, together with the Cofrentes nuclear power plant.
Plan to protect the environment
The Cofrentes I and Ayora 1 facilities have various projects to promote biodiversity, including an environmental education and information plan on renewable energies, maintenance of relevant vegetation and corridors to improve connectedness, as well as ponds to increase and improve aquatic habitats in the area for animal refuge.
Compensation will also be provided for areas with habitats that are of community interest, which will involve the recovery of abandoned land near the facilities. Agroforestry perimeter plantations are also being considered, among other measures, to integrate the photovoltaic plants into the landscape.
To monitor the evolution of the environment around the new facilities, two wildlife monitoring studies will be done: in the case of Cofrentes I, on the use of the territory by golden eagles and Bonelli's eagles, with the University of Valencia; and in the case of Ayora 1, on steppe birds in the area, in addition to the creation of a wildlife reserve on more than 90 hectares.
These actions are part of the Iberdrola Group's Convive Programme, of which Iberdrola España is a member, which was created as a continuous improvement plan that integrates all initiatives and partnerships for the coexistence of renewable energies and their contribution to socio-economic development and the conservation of biodiversity.
Socio-economic development and the conservation of biodiversity are two key elements of the company's decarbonisation strategy, demonstrating that the supply of clean and sustainable energy can and must coexist with society and nature, which is why protecting the environment and contributing to social and economic development are fundamental parts of who Iberdrola España is.
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