A new photovoltaic park in Spain supplies renewable energy to the Velux Group

The 54 MWp photovoltaic (PV) park integrates electricity production from renewable sources, agriculture and biodiversity. It is BayWa’s first global renewable energy company with an Agri-PV solar park built in Spain based on a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Velux.

In November 2022, Velux Group and BayWa again announced a PPA to build two large solar parks in southern Spain: one in Gerena near Seville and the other in Alhendín near Granada. Alhendín Park was recently completed and now supplies electricity to the local grid.

With Alhendín fully operational, Velux has achieved its 100% renewable energy goal while enabling the construction of a new renewable energy power plant in Europe. The park consists of over 85,000 solar panels and produces 96.8 GWh of electricity per year, equivalent to the electricity consumption of 24,700 households.

The Alhendín Photovoltaic Park is a pioneering agri-photovoltaic installation, combining renewable energy production and agriculture: approximately 10 percent of the park is designed to allow agricultural machinery to pass between the photovoltaic panels. This is the first project of this type for BayWa re in Spain.

“The completion of the Alhendín solar park and its connection to the Spanish electricity grid is a great achievement that will enable Velux to meet its renewable energy targets,” said Kim Jonas, Velux Group’s director of energy and climate. “The agriculture and biodiversity elements of the project align well with our dual focus on climate action and improving biodiversity. In cooperation with BayWa re, we are currently implementing the concept of solar symbiosis, which aims to integrate photovoltaic parks with nature and the community for mutual benefit.

The solar symbiosis includes a set of measures aimed at increasing biodiversity and supporting community engagement. The project is currently being developed in cooperation with two Spanish universities, Universidad de Córdoba and Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.

“We are delighted to support Velux in achieving its goal of 100% renewable energy for its European operations,” added Daniel Gäfke, Global Project Director and Executive Member of the Board of BayWa re. “This achievement represents an important milestone in BayWa re’s commitment to supporting the enterprise energy transition, which is critical to achieving global climate goals. We are working with Velux to go above and beyond, enabling us to implement pioneering elements such as Agri-PV, as well as improving biodiversity and supporting community engagement to maximize local value creation.”

So far, the scope of Solar Plant Symbiosis includes the following additional activities:

Baseline research, digitization and monitoring of vegetation

Pilot Agri-PV system and rainwater collection system

Planting grass using natural seeds and wild flower species

Wildlife sanctuaries, amphibian ponds, birdbaths, nesting boxes and posts

A breeding area designed to protect the endangered kestrel bird species

Improving steppe habitats

Monitor and evaluate activities to create a guide to best practices that can be replicated in other projects

Community activities in the area, such as workshops with local interest groups and educational visits to schools

These activities at Alhendín Park will be implemented step by step and are expected to be fully implemented by spring 2025. The Gerena Solar Park is awaiting local regulatory approval and is scheduled for completion in 2025. The Gerena Park’s capacity is expected to will be approximately 60 MWp.

When fully operational, both solar plants will produce 167 GWh of renewable energy per year for Velux, equivalent to the electricity consumption of approximately 45,000 European homes. About 80 percent of the electricity generated at the plants will be produced under the PPA with Velux. The PPA will reduce the Velux Group’s carbon footprint by approximately 40,000 tonnes of CO2e from the company’s European operations and activities on an annual basis.

Additional information:

BayWa again

Velux Group