Renewable energy group Statkraft continues its commitment to Andalusia, where it has just opened its tenth facility. This is the El Rancho solar PV plant, located in Jerez de la Frontera (Cádiz), and with an installed capacity of 44.5 MWp. In 2024, the autonomous community broke the record for renewables facilities with a new capacity of 2,670 MWp, reaching a total of 14,500 MW installed.

The Norwegian company has invested close to 50 million euros in the El Rancho project. During its construction phase, it has prioritised the hiring of local labour, which accounts for up to 44% of the 282 jobs generated, and with 64 workers coming from Jerez de la Frontera out of a total of 123 from the province of Cadiz. It has in addition made purchases from 58 local companies for around 1.6 million euros.

Benchmark local companies
Statkraft's Regional Representative in Andalusia, Carlos Javier Rodriguez, said, “Our objective is to continue investing in Andalusia because there is an abundance of natural resources like sun and wind, as well as leading local companies with which we can partner to implement the projects and, furthermore, a management committed to a sustainable model”. In fact, he added, “we have a portfolio of projects in different stages of development across solar, wind and battery technologies”.

Various environmental measures have been carried out at El Rancho, such as creating a plant screen, installing nesting boxes for small birds and birds of prey, as well as bat houses, installing anti-collision rotating beacon lights on the power line, dismantling an overhead power line, installing wildlife crossings in fences, installing drinking troughs and perches for birds and planting 12 hectares of myrtle, rosemary and lavender for pollinating insect populations.

Additional2-million investment
The company will invest another 2 million euros, approximately, over the lifetime of the plant as part of an annual biodiversity conservation action plan. The plan includes measures for conserving endangered species, including a project for reintroducing the Andalusian bullfinch, support for large gliding bird markings and a training workshop on the imperial eagle.

In addition to El Rancho, Statkraft has built and operates eight other solar PV plants in the provinces of Seville and Cadiz, and also has a wind farm in operation in Tarifa (Cadiz). It has a total installed capacity of 500 MW in both provinces. The four solar PV plants located in Cadiz have received the Seal of Excellence in Sustainability, awarded by Unef, and have been recognised with the European Union's Transit award for the social measures deployed during their development. These include training and employment schemes, a scholarship programme for young students and promotion of the circular economy during the construction, operation and maintenance phases.

^{Photo: Statkraft}