Oil company Eni’s renewables subsidiary Plenitude has started construction on a 220MW solar PV plant in Spain.
Located in Salamanca, Castille y León, the project will be amongst the largest in the autonomous region, once completed, according to Plenitude.
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Construction is expected to be completed in 2025, with engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) carried out by solar PV construction company Sterling & Wilson.
The solar PV plant will cover an area of nearly 286 hectares and the installation of 365,300 bifacial solar modules.
The project will include measures for the conservation and relocation of rural huts between modules or coordination with neighbouring farmers for the land-use of the project, among others.
“The Villarino project is a virtuous example of integration with the territory. Being here today, in the presence of all the actors involved, is tangible proof of our willingness to continue this collaborative approach in the coming years, in line with our business and growth strategy in the country,” said Mariangiola Mollicone, Head of Western Europe Renewables and Managing Director at Plenitude in Spain.
Once operational, the project will increase by 50% the current operational capacity of the company in Spain which sits at 440MW of solar PV and wind energy. Its Spanish portfolio also includes nearly 1GW of renewable energy under construction across several regions, including a 330MW solar PV plant in Badajoz, eastern Spain. Started earlier this year, the project is expected to be operational in 2025.
Moreover, the company is working on over 2GW of capacity with projects in different stages of development. It has also partnered with Spanish construction group Avintia, to build up to 1GW of greenfield solar projects in central and southern Spain. The portfolio would consist of seven projects which could be co-located with battery energy storage systems (BESS).
