Spanish energy giant Iberdrola has completed the construction of the first hybrid wind-solar plant in the Spanish city of Burgos.
Iberdrola has built a 74MW solar project next to the existing 69MW Ballestas and Casetona (BaCa) wind complex, combining wind and solar energy at a single site.
Built with an investment of more than €40m ($42.14m), the solar plant contains more than 120,000 solar modules and will optimise the use of the electricity grid. It is located in the municipalities of Revilla Vallejera, Villamedianilla and Vallejera.
Situating a solar plant next to a wind farm can help generate clean, cheap and competitive electricity and ensure maximum energy supply.
The two technologies can alternate, reducing the limitations that both wind and solar face, and facilitating stable renewable energy generation.
Hybrid wind-solar plants use the same grid connection point and infrastructure, including the substation and the evacuation line for the electricity produced.
Co-location also optimises land use, developing on land that has already been allocated for power generation and allowing common roads and facilities for operations.
This results in a lower environmental impact compared with building and maintaining two independent power plants.
A total of 360 temporary jobs were created during the hybrid plant's construction.
In July 2023, Iberdrola signed a power purchase agreement with Vodafone to supply 410 gigawatt-hours of solar energy to power its operations in Spain, Portugal and Germany.
