(Bilbao / Spain) – The energy company Iberdrola SA has put what it claims is Europe's largest photovoltaic system into operation in Spain. The power plant called “Francisco Pizarro” has an installed capacity of 590 megawatts. The forecast annual yield is not mentioned, but is likely to be around 1.000 gigawatt hours. Location is between the municipalities of Torrecillas de la Tiesta and Aldeacentenera (Cáceres) 
in the autonomous region of Extremadura in the southwest of the country.
The investment costs for the project with 1,5 million solar modules amounted to more than 300 million euros, according to the company. At the peak of construction, more than 1.500 workers were employed, 60 percent of whom were local workers. The proceeds from the plant go to companies in various sectors, including Danone, Bayer and PepsiCo, under long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs).
“Pizzaro” overtakes “Núñez de Balboa”
The new system overtakes the country's largest PV power plant to date: In 2020, Iberdrola put “Núñez de Balboa” into operation with an installed capacity of 500 megawatts, also in Extremadura. Its yield is estimated at around 830 gigawatt hours per year.
The group has now built renewable energy power plants with an output of more than 19.300 megawatts, and “in the coming years” it is expected to reach 25.000 megawatts. The company plans to provide around 2025 billion euros for renewable energy and intelligent grids by 14,3. In Extremadura alone, more than 2025 megawatts are to be achieved by 2.800 and more than 1,7 billion euros are to be invested.
Three billion euros for hydrogen projects
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Managing Director Ignacio Galan announced in June that his company wanted to invest three billion euros in hydrogen projects. Shortly before, Iberdrola had inaugurated a plant for the production of green hydrogen with an output of 20 megawatts in Puertollano, Spain (Ciudad Real, Castile-La Mancha). In the future, 3.000 tons of the energy source are to be produced there every year. A newly built photovoltaic power plant with an installed capacity of 100 megawatts serves as the power source.
In December 2021, Iberdrola and the Swedish steel manufacturer H2 Green Steel AB (H2GS) agreed to build a green hydrogen plant with an output of 1.000 megawatts. According to estimates, the investments amount to 2,3 billion euros. The fuel will power a direct iron ore reduction plant to produce crude steel with a capacity of around two million tonnes per year. The search for a location was not yet complete at the time.
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Europe's currently largest PV power plant “Francisco Pizarro” has started operations with an installed capacity of 590 megawatts. © Iberdrola SA
