Zelestra, EDP sign solar + BESS hybrid PPA in Spain

Renewable energy company Zelestra and Portuguese utility EDP have signed a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) which combines large scale solar and battery storage projects and technologies.

This agreement will allow Zelestra to build a project consisting of 170 MWdc of solar capacity and 400 MWh of battery storage located in Trujillo, Extremadura, Spain, according to a media release.

The hybrid structured product is designed to ensure that the battery can always be fully charged daily by the solar plant in all weather conditions, allowing EDP the flexibility to have clean energy outside of “normal solar hours” and at traditionally high-demand, high-price periods of time. This solution will also contribute to reducing the intensity of CO2 emissions during periods of peak power demand, helping to displace gas plants that typically operate during this time.

The total anticipated annual production in Trujillo will be about 300 GWh, preventing over 40,000 tons of CO2 emissions each year, the media release said.

With a portfolio of approximately 30 GW of carbon-free projects in 13 countries, Zelestra is a vertically integrated company specializing in the development, commercialization, construction and operation of large-scale renewable energy projects.

EDP has a total installed capacity of more than 29 GW in Europe, North America, South America and Asia-Pacific. In Spain, the EDP Group directly employs more than 2,500 people.