The Energy Company plans to allocate €12 million to the purchase of more solar parks.
Shortlists four photovoltaic projects in its second public call to expand its portfolio
BarcelonaLa Energética, the public electricity company of the Generalitat (Catalan government), has shortlisted four projects from among those submitted in the second public call for the purchase of solar farms with a capacity of up to 5 megawatts (MW). The facilities are located in the municipalities of Les Oluges (La Segarra), Sant Pere Sallavinera (Anoia), Casserres (Berguedà), and Vilanova d'Escornalbou (Baix Camp), according to the company.
The projects have met the qualitative and economic requirements established in the call for tenders and will now undergo a preventive audit (due diligence) as a preliminary step to confirming their purchase, which would amount to a total of 12 million euros. The parks also have the approval of the city councils of the municipalities in which they are located, which is one of the conditions set by the public company for preselection.
All the preselected projects are authorized, and some are already built and in the process of legalization and connection to the grid. Together, the four photovoltaic projects will contribute 14.55 megawatts peak (MWp) of renewable power (12.25 MW nominal power) to the public renewable energy company to supply the public services of the Generalitat de Catalunya.
The Les Oluges project, with a capacity of 5.44 MWp (4.5 MW), was promoted by Eguzki 22 CER SL. It is located on 11 hectares of land between the C-25 highway and the RL4 Lleida-Terrassa line. This park currently has all the necessary permits and is ready for construction. The project includes a parallel use for photovoltaic production in the form of an agricultural operation.
The solar farm promoted by Solar Lloch SL in Sant Pere Sallavinera has a capacity of 3.52 MWp (3 MW) and is located on 6 hectares of land in a residential industrial estate. The farm is already built and connected. This project already competed in the first public call for proposals by L'Energètica and has now been resubmitted with an improved financial offer.
The Roc de la Mel solar farm in Casserres, with a capacity of 1.63 MWp (1.3 MW), was promoted by Fotovoltaica del Berguedà SL. It has already been built on a 2.84-hectare plot of land. Finally, the Vilanova de Escornalbou solar farm, promoted by Blue Viking Linea SL, has a capacity of 3.96 MWp (3.45 MW) and is located on 8.7 hectares of land. This park is approved and ready for construction.
More projects submitted
In this second process of purchasing parks by La Energética through a public call, thirteen projects have been presented, more than double the number that opted for the first call, held last year. The remaining bids were rejected for not meeting the minimum economic viability and territorial acceptance criteria established in the bidding rules.
When evaluating the projects, according to the company, other variables were also taken into account, such as social and environmental commitment. With this operation, La Energética pursues a dual objective: on the one hand, to increase renewable energy generation capacity to supply public services, thus advancing the goal of the Generalitat (Catalan Government) being carbon-neutral by 2040; and, on the other, to boost the energy sector by incentivizing the development of new renewable projects.