Independent power producer BNZ, established in 2021 by UK fund manager Nuveen Infrastructure, has opened its first two renewable projects in Spain. These are two solar power plants, called Alya and Alamak, in the town of Alcalá de los Gazules, in the province of Cádiz. Together, they have an installed capacity of 74 megawatts peak.

The company, which specialises in the development, construction and operation of solar photovoltaic projects, plans to install around 600 megawatts peak of capacity in Spain by 2026, out of the 1,700 megawatts it expects to achieve in southern Europe in that period. Andalusia, for its part, is aiming for 26 gigawatts of power, half of which has already been installed.

Employment generation
The province of Cadiz now accounts for 17% of the renewable generation installed in the autonomous community, behind only Seville. The two new plants will produce the electricity needed to supply 25% of demand for the city of Cadiz. Its construction phase has generated between 560 and 580 direct and indirect jobs, with the participation of seventeen local companies.

To reduce its environmental impact, BNZ has collaborated with local authorities on projects such as the implementation of permeable structures with plant walls to facilitate wildlife passage and ensure ecological connectivity. Trees and hedges have also been planted around the facility with native species, livestock routes have been conserved and improved and monitoring has been deployed to preserve bird species. Solar energy production has in addition been combined with agricultural crops.

A more sustainable future
BNZ CEO Luis Selva said, "With the opening of this solar plant, we are not only celebrating a significant milestone, but also marking the beginning of a magnificent adventure towards a more sustainable future. This project is just the beginning of our commitment to renewable energy and sustainable development."

Nuveen Infrastructure's head of asset management and chief risk officer, Jordi Francesch, added, "We are particularly pleased with the investment in the construction of these photovoltaic plants in Alcalá de los Gazules, which demonstrates our commitment to renewable energy generation in Cádiz, in Andalusia, in Spain as a whole and in southern Europe.

Finally, César Moreyra, managing director of Grupotec, the company that built the plant, explained, "We are proud to open this photovoltaic park, to which we have devoted many years of development and knowledge, and which is an example of integration in this wonderful landscape. With this project, we will generate more than 160 gigawatt hours per year free of CO₂ emissions for the Andalusian electricity grid, which will enable us to be more sustainable while reducing our dependence on fossil fuels."

^{Photo: BNZ}