Energy company TotalEnergies has officially started work on the construction of five photovoltaic power plants in Guillena (Seville), which will have a total installed capacity of 263 megawatts. Around 400,000 bifacial 655W peak power PV modules will be installed in all, which will generate the electricity required by an estimated 150,000 households.

The Andalusian Regional Government has declared this development by the French company to be a project of strategic interest, which comprises a total of five plants: Postigo (51 megawatts), Arbotante (52 megawatts), Pilastra (52 megawatts), La Noria (53 megawatts) and La Carrascosa (55 megawatts). The construction will be completed over the next twelve months and will create more than 800 direct and indirect jobs.

Employment and socio-economic development
As part of the project, TotalEnergies has signed a collaboration agreement with Guillena Town Council to promote employment and socio-economic development in the area. The agreement includes a vocational training programme, which has been rolled out with the aim of incorporating local labour into the construction process.

Studies have also been carried out during the pre-construction phase to determine the populations and habits of the local birdlife, with the aim of putting the necessary compensatory measures in place. In doing so, TotalEnergies is sticking to its principles, making the development of its solar parks compatible with biodiversity protection in the areas where they are installed.

Generating knowledge
With this in mind, the company has created the Steppe Forward Chair in partnership with the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM) and the Forestry Science and Technology Centre of Catalonia (CTFC). The aim is to generate knowledge and specific application protocols to ensure that photovoltaic power plants are environmentally friendly and respectful of the biodiversity in the surrounding area, from the initial phases until they are operational.

Managing Director for TotalEnergies Renewables Spain, Yago Mancebo Ferreiro, says that his company “has made a firm commitment to promoting renewable energy in Spain, and that starting work on these projects in Guillena is a big step forward in achieving our objectives and those of the country as a whole. With three gigawatts of solar energy already under development in Andalusia, Madrid, Murcia, Aragon and Castile-La Mancha, we are continuing to consolidate the key role Spain plays in Europe as a benchmark for sustainability and clean energy."

The Regional Minister of Industry, Energy and Mines for the Andalusian Regional Government, Jorge Paradela, did in turn highlight the value of the project in terms of alignment with regional energy policy, “not only as a contribution to decarbonising the economy, but also as a means of lowering electricity costs and generating opportunities for economic development.”

^{Photo: TotalEnergies}