Iberdrola España starts the commissioning process of its first photovoltaic plant in the Murcia region

• The new facility, located between Yecla and Jumilla, has a capacity of 50 megawatts and will make possible the generation of clean energy to supply 25,000 homes a year.
• The construction of this renewable project in the Altiplano, which will prevent the emission of 15,000 tonnes of CO₂, has involved an investment of €30 million.

Iberdrola España has completed the construction of its first photovoltaicEnlace externo, se abre en ventana nueva.  plant in the Region of Murcia and is now starting the commissioning works. The facility, called FV Peñarrubia and located between Yecla and Jumilla, has a capacity of 50 megawatts (MW) and will produce clean energy to supply more than 25,000 homes per year.

The photovoltaic project, which has involved an investment of around €30 million, is made up of more than 90,000 photovoltaic modules that will generate more than 86,000 megawatt hours per year and will help to prevent the emission of 15,000 tonnes of CO₂.

The construction of the 100% renewable facility has meant a boost for the local and regional business fabric, as it has been necessary to hire up to 250 workers during peak work periods, most of them from the area. In addition, national suppliers such as Gonvarri and Ingeteam (Basque Country), Omexon (Andalusia) and Tecinsa (Castilla-La Mancha) have also been involved, which has led to economic development in the region of Murcia and at national level.

This facility is the first to be built as part of the deal signed by Iberdrola in January with Norges Bank,External link, opens in new window.  Norway's sovereign wealth fund, to become a portfolio of 1,265 MW of wind and photovoltaic capacity in Spain.

Environmental conservation

Iberdrola España promotes renewable energies as a driver of development in the areas in which they are implemented and fully integrates the conservation of the biological biodiversity of ecosystems into its strategy, thereby demonstrating that the supply of competitive, clean, and sustainable energy can coexist effectively with environmental balance.

For this reason, the company is implementing a series of environmental measures to promote the steppe habitat and its native species, including the construction of warrens and shelters in the vicinity of the plant to favour the rabbit, which is the main prey species for birds of prey in the area, the adaptation of an old farmhouse as a primillar (breeding tower) to favour the kestrel and the creation of five stone cairns with the installation of nesting boxes inside them to favour the nesting of owls and other birds.

Agricultural practices compatible with the common stone curlew and the harrier will also be encouraged in the surrounding area, consisting of leguminous crops, cereals and fallow land, which will be rotated every two or three years, and the plant's installations will be integrated into the environment by means of biological corridors made up of native plant species, which will be interconnected with the territory to encourage the movement of the fauna.

Commitment to sustainability

The company has been leading the energy transition for two decades, acting as a key driving force in the transformation of the industrial fabric, the economy and employment. To this end, Iberdrola has launched a historic investment plan of €47 billion between 2023 and 2025, with which it intends to increase its renewable capacity, its smart grids and take advantage of the opportunities of the energy revolution facing the world's leading economies.

In Spain, investments to 2025 amount to €6 billion, mainly earmarked for the deployment of renewables and smart grids. Iberdrola is currently reaffirming its commitment to the energy transition in Spain as a leader in renewable energies, with around 20,000 MW of renewable energy in the country.

After investments of €140 billion over the last twenty years, the group is a leader in renewable energy with more than 41,000 MW installed worldwide, a volume that makes its generation park one of the cleanest in the energy sector.