In the context of the administrative dynamics to expedite the approval of renewable energy projects, the Official State Bulletin (BOE) of October 7th has published significant progress, highlighting the publication of several Environmental Impact Declarations (DIAs).

In total, more than 10 solar and wind energy initiatives have been announced, of which 8 were approved, adding 324.24 MW to the national electricity generation system.

However, the projects presented for the wind energy sector were rejected.

These initiatives are part of the files being managed by different Spanish administrations, including the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO).

Solar Photovoltaic

One of the projects that obtained prior administrative authorization (AAP) and an environmental impact declaration (DIA) is the “Sierra de las Carbas Hybrid Photovoltaic Solar Plant,” promoted by Parque Eólico Sierra de las Carbas, a subsidiary of Saeta Yield Renewable Company.

This project will be located in the municipality of Olmillos de Castro, in the province of Zamora, with a projected installed capacity of 42 MW and an execution budget of €26,796,396.28. The project plans to install 74,844 modules of 680 Wp and 10 inverters with a capacity of 4,200 kW at 50ºC, distributed across five solar subfields.

Additionally, it will include an elevation substation (SE PSFV Sierra de las Carbas) that will operate at 30/220 kV, with a 55 MVA main transformer, and a 220 kV overhead high-voltage line that will facilitate the evacuation of the generated energy.

On the other hand, the Industry and Energy Department of the Government Subdelegation in Granada has made public the processing of the request for a Declaration of Public Utility for the “CAPARACENA 220” photovoltaic solar plant, which will have an installed capacity of 93.24 MW.

This project will be developed in the municipalities of Moclín, Colomera, and Atarfe, marking a significant step towards energy transition in the region.

The plant has followed a rigorous administrative process, starting with the obtaining of the Favorable Environmental Impact Declaration on October 31, 2022, followed by the Prior Administrative Authorization on April 24, 2023, and the Administrative Construction Authorization on June 20, 2024.

Currently, the request for processing the Declaration of Public Utility is in the public information phase, allowing citizens to submit objections within a 30-day period.

Similarly, the Industry and Energy Functional Area of the Government Delegation in Madrid has called for the lifting of pre-occupation records and the formalization of occupation records as part of the compulsory expropriation process for the “Oliva Solar” project.

This includes the Oliva Solar 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 installations, located in the provinces of Guadalajara and Madrid, with an installed capacity of 44.68 MW for Oliva Solar 1 and 2, and 24.06 MW for each of the remaining plants. The prior administrative authorization and the administrative construction authorization for Oliva Solar 1 were granted on May 8, 2024.

The expropriation process was requested by Solaria Promoción y Desarrollo Fotovoltaico, SLU, and owners of the affected assets were called to participate in the pre-occupation record lifting between November 18 and 22, 2024.

This progress not only contributes to energy sustainability in Spain but also promotes economic development in the affected regions.

Storage

Finally, regarding energy storage, the “BESS Hybridization FV Revilla-Vallejera” storage plan recently received prior administrative and construction authorization from the Directorate-General for Energy Policy and Mines, according to the resolution issued on September 27, 2024.

The initiative, promoted by Iberenova Promociones, SA, aims to install a battery storage module with a capacity of 27.46 MW, integrated with the existing “FV Revilla-Vallejera” photovoltaic plant, located in Vallejera, Burgos, with an installed capacity of 44.199 MW. The integration strengthens renewable energy generation, allowing energy storage and stabilizing supply during periods of low solar production.

The “BESS Hybridization FV Revilla-Vallejera” storage system will use lithium-ion battery technology with a total capacity of 59.904 MWh. The installation will consist of 26 battery containers of 20 feet, each containing eight battery racks with 15 battery modules per rack.

In addition, 13 inverters will be installed, each with a unit power of 2.353 MVA, contributing to the nominal capacity of 27.46 MW. Red Eléctrica de España has granted access and connection permits to the transmission grid with an authorized capacity of 41 MW, thus facilitating the efficient integration of this system with the existing electrical infrastructure.

The Revilla-Vallejera photovoltaic plant, which has been operational since April 2022, will be the main source of renewable generation for this new storage project. The combination of photovoltaic generation and energy storage aims to optimize the use of solar energy and improve its distribution efficiency to the grid during critical moments.

The approved evacuation infrastructure for the plan includes two underground 30 kV circuits that will connect the storage module to a nearby switching center, and from there, it will link to the existing “SET Baca 30/220 kV” substation, where an extension to the 30 kV system is also planned.

Although the project did not require an environmental impact assessment according to Law 21/2013, of December 9, the promoting company justified this exemption by arguing that the storage plan was not within the scope of the regulation at the time of its request.

However, an additional analysis was conducted to ensure that the hybridization with the existing photovoltaic plant would not generate impacts that would require a more thorough evaluation. The result of this analysis revealed no conditions that warranted its inclusion under the current environmental legislation.

Wind

On the other hand, the Directorate-General for Energy Policy and Mines recently rejected two important administrative authorization requests for wind projects submitted by Green Capital Development.

The first of these requests concerns the “Rula” wind farm, which had a projected installed capacity of 55 MW and its evacuation infrastructure in the province of Pontevedra. This resolution, published in the BOE on October 7, 2024, concludes an administrative process that began in June 2020 when the company formally requested the permit.

The park, planned to be located in the municipalities of Cerdedo-Cotobade and Ponte Caldelas, was admitted for processing by the Directorate-General, which sent the file to the Government Subdelegation in Pontevedra, following the procedures established by energy and environmental evaluation regulations.

However, during the process, the environmental impact assessment concluded that there were insufficient elements to issue a favorable declaration, resulting in the file being shelved in this regard.

Additionally, the expiration of the access and connection permits to the transmission grid, communicated in July 2024, was also a decisive factor in the final rejection, leaving the project without the necessary authorizations to proceed.

In a similar case, on September 25, 2024, the rejection of the authorization request for the “Fonte Barreiros” wind farm, which contemplated an installed capacity of 96 MW and its corresponding evacuation infrastructure in the provinces of Ribadeo, Barreiros, Foz, Cervo, and Xove, was published in the BOE. This request was initially submitted on May 11, 2020, and went through various corrections, but the promoter decided to withdraw the environmental evaluation request in April 2022, further complicating the process.

Subsequently, on September 15, 2023, Green Capital Development re-submitted the authorization request for a modified 63 MW project under Article 22 of Royal Decree-Law 20/2022, which addressed the crisis caused by the war in Ukraine. However, on October 23, 2023, the Directorate-General for Quality and Environmental Evaluation declared the new request inadmissible for not meeting the necessary requirements.

Although the transmission grid access permits were obtained, the lack of mandatory reports from the regional government was key to the rejection of the project. The rejection resolution was notified to the promoter on September 6, 2024, who has requested reconsideration of the decision and a new public information procedure for the modified project.

List of Projects