Hive Energy has secured landmark planning approval for the development of Andalucia’s first subsidy-free 45.6-megawatt solar park in the Espejo, Cordoba region. The El Salobral project will provide renewable energy to 32,000 homes and will be connected to the national grid via a 132kV Endesa substation located 500 meters from the site.
The pioneering scheme is representative of the future generation of European unsubsidized solar parks.
With the highest irradiation in Europe at 2.150kWh/kWp (compared to U.K. with 950kWh/kWp or Germany with 1,070kWh/kWp), the potential of solar power in Spain could not be curtailed for long. El Salobral, this first unsubsidized solar development is a shining example of solar’s indisputable place in Spain’s future renewable energy mix.
“Hive Energy’s advantageous position in the Spanish solar market results from the early opening of Spanish offices in 2015. Back in 2015, there were few developers developing solar in Spain and there was little interest from funds. Three years later, the market is one of the most attractive solar markets in the world,” said Luis Martinez Hermida from Hive Energy, who has been working on the project over the last three years.
Construction on the project will begin in late spring 2018.
