Iberdrola, the 125-year-old Spanish multinational electric utility company, recently inaugurated Spain’s largest energy-storage battery, a facility linked to the Campo Aranuelo I photovoltaic plant and the Campo Aranuelo II photovoltaic plant, infrastructures that provide 58 MW of power and 120 MWh of storage capacity, respectively.
Located in the Spanish municipality of Belvis de Monroy, the new installation represents a significant step forward in the utility giant’s strategy to enhance its energy storage capabilities, which will, in the words of CEO Mario Ruiz-Tagle, “support new demand requiring firm capacity and accelerate the electrification of the Spanish economy.”
The newly installed facility at the Belvis de Monroy consists of two LFP lithium-ion battery modules of roughly 60 MWh each, integrated with the existing solar plants so the site can store excess photovoltaic production and supply it to the system during periods of higher demand—an increasingly essential capability as renewable penetration in Spain continues to expand.
The inauguration was attended by regional and national representatives, including the regional minister of industry, energy, science and territory of Extremadura, Mercedes Moran Alvarez; the government delegate in the region, Jose Luis Quintana; and Julio Castro, CEO of Iberdrola Energia Sostenible Espana, alongside mayors and local officials of Belvis de Monroy.
As per Ruiz-Tagle, projects like Campo Aranuelo are pioneering efforts within the Spanish energy sector and demonstrate how electrification can progress at a steady and reliable pace. He also noted that Iberdrola has long been committed to energy storage and currently operates the vast majority of its battery storage capacity in Spain, with nearly 200 MW in service.
“This new installation constitutes a top-tier investment for Extremadura, reinforcing its position as an emerging energy hub that brings together generation capacity, technological innovation and system stability. Energy storage is crucial for unlocking the region’s exceptional photovoltaic potential and ensuring that the energy transition translates into industrial development, employment and new opportunities for local communities,” Mercedes Moran Alvarez said.
Iberdrola’s project received support from the Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IDAE) through its grant programme for innovative storage solutions paired with renewable facilities under the PERTE ERHA framework. With the commissioning of this new battery system, Iberdrola Espana now strengthens Extremadura’s standing as a leader in renewable innovation and storage within the European country.
The Campo Aranuelo I and II photovoltaic plants consist of two photovoltaic plants (50 MWp), a transformer substation and a high-voltage evacuation line. It occupies an area of 200 hectares and has the capacity to produce around 167 GWh renewable energy per year. The project has a total of 256,590 photovoltaic modules installed on a fixed structure, 52 inverters and 18 transformers of 4,920 and 3,280 kVAs.
The energy generated by the photovoltaic panels gets transported by the internal grid at 30 kV before being transformed to 132 kV at the Photovoltaic Plant Almaraz substation. It is then evacuated to the distribution substation via a high-voltage line, comprising a 2.6 km overhead section and a 0.5 km underground section.
CEMOSA, the leading Spanish engineering consultancy and quality control company specialising in transport infrastructure and civil engineering, was awarded the technical assistance-related responsibilities by IBERDROLA. Under the arrangement, CEMOSA helped the 125-year-old Spanish multinational electric utility company in the construction of the two photovoltaic plants, the transformer substation and the high-voltage evacuation line.