A look at the two largest solar plants in Europe today
solar parks
August 24, 2023
Plus: Europe’s solar pipeline
A solar boom is sweeping across Europe. Solar energy projects are popping up all over the continent, transforming the landscape. The scale and speed is so astonishing that keeping track of projects is almost impossible. Each new installation seems bigger and more ambitious than the last, demonstrating the commitment of countries, companies and communities to powering a sustainable future.
Let's take a look at the two largest solar plants in Europe today, in order of installed capacity:
Francisco Pizarro photovoltaic plant
Screenshot REGLOBAL: https://reglobal.co/iberdrola-to-supply-solar-power-to-danone-through-the-francisco-pizarro-project/, 2023
- Current installed capacity: 590 MW
- Amount of solar panels: More than 1.49 million spread over 1300 hectares.
- Location: Torrecillas de la Tiesa and Aldeacentenera, Extremadura, Spain
- Owner: Iberdrola
- Opening date: August 2022
- The Francisco Pizarro Solar Power Project provides enough electricity to power up to 375,000 homes while offsetting an estimated 245,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually. German pharmaceutical company Bayer signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Iberdrola in 2020 to purchase 100% renewable electricity from the Francisco Pizarro solar power plant.
Núñez de Balboa
Screenshot: Glint Solar software, 2023
- Current installed capacity: 500 MW (391 MW grid connection capacity)
- Amount of solar panels: 1.43 million panels, installed on 288,000 ground mounts
- Location: Usagre (Badajoz), Spain
- Owner: Iberdrola
- Opening date: April 2020
- The Núñez de Balboa solar plant provides clean energy to 250,000 homes, more than the combined population of Cáceres and Badajoz, and avoids the emission of 215,000 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere each year.
Europe’s solar pipeline
Europe is set to see many more large-scale solar installations. Let's take a look at some of the solar farms that are currently in the pre-construction or construction-phase in Europe!
Spain
Iberdrola owns a large 750 MW solar complex consisting of 15 units with 50 MW each, that is underway in Aragon, Spain.
Romania
Rezolv Energy, an independent clean energy power producer focused on sustainable energy in Central and Southeastern Europe, has acquired the rights to build and operate a 1,044 MW solar photovoltaic plant in Arad County, Western Romania. Once built, it is expected to be one of the largest solar PV plants in Europe.
Portugal
Another one of Europe’s largest solar power projects is underway in Portugal. Iberdrola and Prosolia Energy, have announced the approval of an environmental permit to a plant with a capacity of 1200 MW. The farm will be located in southern Portugal, near the city of Santiago do Cacém in the Setúbal district, and is expected to be fully operational by 2025.
Greece
Greek electricity producer Public Power Corp. is building a 550 MW plant in the north of the country through its subsidiary PPC Renewables. The project will be located in Thessaly and is scheduled for completion in 2024.
Germany
In Germany, the construction of the 650 MW Leipzig Witznitz Energy Solar PV Park on a 650 hectare site at Hainer See in Leipzig, Saxony, is expected to be completed this summer. The project is expected to meet the energy needs of around 200,000 four-person households. It will save more than 250,000 tonnes of CO2 per year based on the German energy mix in 2020.
What we're doing for solar developers in Europe
Glint Solar's software enables solar developers across Europe to optimize their solar pipeline and accelerate the early stages of their solar projects. Our solution offers data packages for numerous European countries, including Spain, Italy, Germany, Romania and many more. Take advantage of our powerful layers for site prospecting and experience the potential of our software by booking a free demo today!
Magdalena