Iberdrola España obtains UNEF's seal of excellence for sustainability at its Barcience photovoltaic plant in Bargas (Toledo)
- The certification recognises the development of the solar energy park under the highest environmental and social integration criteria, making it a benchmark for sustainable photovoltaics in Castilla-La Mancha
- The project has succeeded in consolidating a new enclave for the lesser kestrel, going from no specimens to around thirty birds
Iberdrola España has been awarded the Seal of Excellence for Sustainability by the Spanish Photovoltaic Union (UNEF) for its Barcience photovoltaic plant, located in the municipality of Bargas (Toledo).
The award, which recognises solar projects developed under the highest standards of sustainability, territorial integration and social value creation, was collected at a ceremony in the Congress of Deputies by Jorge Romero, Head of Environment at Iberdrola España.
Measures to protect biodiversity and local wildlife
Among the actions that have contributed to the Barcience photovoltaic plant being recognised for its high standards of social and environmental integration is the project developed for the conservation of the lesser kestrel, a protected species traditionally linked to agricultural landscapes.
The action carried out by Iberdrola España in collaboration with the Iberian Raptor Recovery Centre (CERI) at the Barcience photovoltaic plant has led to a shift from the absence of specimens of this protected species to the presence of around thirty lesser kestrels, including adults and chicks, with two breeding pairs already settled in the nesting structures created specifically within the park, thus consolidating a new enclave for this protected species in the province of Toledo.
The Seal of Excellence in Sustainability was created by UNEF in 2020 to promote good practices in the Spanish photovoltaic sector, reinforcing the national photovoltaic sector's commitment to a sustainable energy transition.
Continuing this work, UNEF has become the first entity worldwide to design its own system for certifying the sustainability of photovoltaic installations, aimed at all companies that may be interested in obtaining it, whether they are developers, builders, owners or any other company in the solar plant segment.
Alongside this initiative in Bargas, in 2023 the Barcience plant also incorporated a project aimed at protecting pollinators by installing beehives within the park. This action promotes the presence of bees and other insects that are essential for the balance of ecosystems, while highlighting the compatibility between renewable energy generation and the development of activities that reinforce biodiversity and ecosystem services in rural areas, all of which is integrated into the company's Convive Programme.
Photovoltaic energy produces 100% renewable energy for 25,000 homes in Castilla-La Mancha
The Barcience photovoltaic plant has an installed capacity of 50 megawatts (MW) and comprises more than 144,900 photovoltaic modules, with an annual production equivalent to the electricity consumption of some 25,000 homes, avoiding the emission of around 15,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year. The facility is thus consolidated as one of the most important solar infrastructures in Iberdrola Spain's renewable energy deployment in Castilla-La Mancha.
The Barcience Project joins seven other Iberdrola Spain projects recognised by the UNEF for their social and environmental integration: the Andévalo solar farm in Puebla de Guzmán (Huelva), which already obtained certification in 2021 for its practices of coexistence with the territory and stimulation of the local economy; the Olmedilla wind farm, in the municipalities of Valdeverdejo, Alarcón and Olmedilla de Alarcón (Cuenca), recognised for its combination of local hiring and habitat conservation measures; the Campo Arañuelo III farm in Romangordo (Cáceres), distinguished for including innovative practices such as beehive installations and storage systems integrated into the project, which obtained this recognition in 2022.
In 2023, the award went to Llanos Pelaos III on the island of Fuerteventura, with measures for insect and bird shelters, and Revilla Vallejera in the province of Burgos as the first project in Spain to grow mushrooms in photovoltaic installations, which also has sheep grazing daily on the premises of this facility.
In 2024, the Peñarrubia plants in Yecla (Murcia) were recognised for their outstanding conservation measures for the steppe habitat and local fauna (vivares, shelters for rabbits and primillar) and for two self-consumption installations in municipal buildings, and the Villarino plant in Villarino de los Aires (Salamanca), also with notable environmental measures, such as the creation of a vegetative screen, installation of wildlife boxes, firebreaks and water tanks to support forest firefighting teams.
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