Spanish renewables firm X-Elio plans to invest EUR 250 million (USD 270.6m) in the development of new solar photovoltaic projects in the region of Valencia, eastern Spain, despite acknowledging difficulties in permitting at regional level.
The Brookfield Renewable Partners LP company has over 330 MW in the Valencia portfolio, spanning 50 MW of solar already built and 283 MW of solar and battery energy storage projects in development.
X-Elio CEO Lluis Noguera announced the plan at last week’s meeting with Valencia’s regional leaders and the media, stating that this investment reflects the company’s commitment to boosting the local economy and promoting a transition to cleaner energy sources.
X-Elio also opened a branch in the city of Valencia, Noguera said in the company’s press release.
However, renewable energy projects do not progress at a desired pace in Valencia. Of those 50 MW that X-Elio built, 35 MW correspond to the 35-MW Turroneros I solar farm and 15 MW to the Turroneros extension. Construction of the Turroneros II was finalised in
August last year, but the plant still has not been issued the regional licence to commence operation, according to a report by Spanish business daily El Economista.
El Economista has Noguera quoted as saying that the permitting process for renewables in Valencia is much more complicated that in the rest of Spain, rivalled only by that in Catalonia.
Despite efforts of Valencia’s previous government leadership to change the regulation and speed up the permitting for renewables, the installed capacity shows that this has not been accomplished, X-Elio noted, according to El Economista’s report.
Noguera received assurances from the new regional leadership that new regulation would be approved shortly to expedite the permitting process, the report said.
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