According to Baywa re – pv magazine Spain “The absence of a legal framework in Spain slows down the development of agrovoltaic projects”

18 November 2022Pilar Sanchez Molina

This week, the German multinational Bayware also announced that it has developed the first agrovoltaic plant in Spain, with which it has signed an electricity purchase agreement. – 10 term determined by the company pv magazine– With Velux. In particular, Baywa will develop two solar parks with a total power of 115 MW and 80% of the energy produced will be supplied to Velux, which will meet 100% of the electricity need in Europe and 90% of the electricity need in Europe. Total energy consumption of the group.

One of the parks is located in the city of Alhendín, 20 km south of Granada. It has 56 MWp (DC) and will cover 80 hectares. The other solar park will be built on 140 hectares in Seville and will have 60 MWp (DC).

pv magazine To learn more about this first project in Spain and the company’s future goals, she met with Ana López, Head of Sales, Power Solutions at Iberia Bayware. “The design is different in the case of the agrovoltaic installation located in the Alhendín park. The distance between the rows of modules is greater so that the combines can move around the field and cultivate. Although the modules, inverters and transformers are the same as in standard plants, there are some features. For example, the structure is taller so that the harvesting modules do not shade and there is a rainwater harvesting system that allows it to be reused and maintains the park a total of 3 times a year”, explains Ana López. The water collection system is located inside the fixed structure and between the modules of the installation.

In addition, power transmission lines will be buried to avoid impacting the local natural environment, and the two substations will be surrounded by newly planted evergreen oak trees.

According to the statement distributed by Germany, grain will be planted. “A local crop will always be chosen to preserve and enhance local biodiversity,” López adds, adding that “the purpose of the harvest will be sales by the farmer who will receive this potential income or subsidies.”

Bayware has developed more agrovoltaic projects in Europe and pv magazine We wanted to find out why such facilities have not become widespread in Spain until now. “There are several factors that have so far not taken the step towards the development of agrovoltaic projects in Spain. One is the lack of a legal framework to rely on that encourages the construction of such infrastructures. “Other European countries, such as France, Germany or Italy, are already working on a specific regulation that encourages the production of this type of energy,” said Ana López.

However, this is not the only case, according to Iberia Bayware, Head of Sales, Power Solutions: “According to INE data, although close to 24 million hectares of land are reserved for crop production, there are other cases like this. Agrovoltaic is a traditional type of exploitation where the technology required for energy has not yet found a place. In any case. We hope that the start-up of these two new parks will continue to pave the way for the development of renewable energy generation in Spain and, in particular, new agrovoltaic projects such as the one in Alhendín.

Will partner with Baywa re Autonomous University of Madrid and University of Cordoba to form an interdisciplinary research team. In particular, the work of universities will focus on improving local biodiversity and comparing the two types of photovoltaic, standard and agrovoltaic.

the company already existed Developed last year trying to implement agrovoltaic and floating projects in Spainand announced Will deploy 35 agrovoltaic MWp in Europe by 2022.

15 representatives in Germany Agricultural and solar companies, research organizations and certification bodies in Germany developed DIN SPEC 91434.. Room Italian solar industry sets agrovoltaic standards this year. This is in 2022 France defines agrovoltaic standardsand even Last year Portugal launched an agrovoltaic call equipped with 10 million.: This is a call to install photovoltaic panels on existing farms, with a donation of 10 million euros and assistance that could reach 70% of the installation.