PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER STATIONS OF SANTIAGO AND HERMOSILLO
Santiago, the largest photovoltaic power station in the world built by Iberdrola
#photovoltaic energy #Mexico #operating plants
The company, through its subsidiary Iberdrola México Renovables, has built two new photovoltaic power stations in Mexico: Santiago in San Luis Potosí and Hermosillo in Sonora.
SANTIAGO AND HERMOSILLO: A HUGE STEP FORWARD FOR MEXICAN PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER
The Santiago photovoltaic power station, located in the state of San Luis Potosí (Mexico), is the largest photovoltaic power facility built by the company in the world. This facility transforms the solar radiation of the high plateau of Potosí into electrical energy with over 660,000 photovoltaic modules and prevents the emission of 340,000 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere every year.
The power station required an investment of over 250 million dollars and approximately 750 people participated in the construction works, mainly local workers.
After its commissioned in 2018, it has an installed capacity of 170 MW, generating 460 GWh of energy per year — capable of supplying electricity to 138,000 households —, and it will occupies an area of 750 hectares.
Moreover, the Hermosillo photovoltaic power station, found in the northern state of Sonora, has an installed capacity of 100 MW, generated with 392,940 photovoltaic modules, distributed in an area of 300 hectares. As in the case of the Santiago power station, was commissioned in 2018.
Aereal view of the Santiago project (Mexico).
Photovoltaic power station of Hermosillo: main data.
Both photovoltaic power stations are proof of Iberdrola's commitment to renewable energies in Mexico and they contribute to reaching the national clean energy goals defined in the Mexican Energy Transition Act, which establishes the goal of reaching 35% of clean energy by 2025.
MEXICO, THE PERFECT SCENARIO FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER
The Aztec country meets a series of privileged requirements for the development of photovoltaic solar energy:
- In geographical terms, it is at a high altitude, so solar panels can operate at lower temperatures. In addition, it is located inside the 'sun belt', where we can find the highest levels of radiation in the world.
- In business terms, there is no high concentration of companies specialising in the photovoltaic power sector, but there is a mature solar thermal power industry, with a high degree of acceptance.
Iberdrola has taken into account these critical factors before choosing Mexico to develop its two first large-scale photovoltaic power projects and to plan four new photovoltaic power stations in Oaxaca, Tamaulipas, Puebla and Nuevo León.
IBERDROLA, WORLD LEADER IN RENEWABLE ENERGIES
At Iberdrola, we decided to commit to renewable energies more than two decades ago as a fundamental pillar on which to build our safe, clean and competitive business model. Thanks to this vision, we are today world leaders in renewable energies, reaching 40,344 MW of renewable energy in operation by the end of the first quarter of 2023.
This commitment is reflected in our record investment plan of €47 billion in the period 2023-2025, of which we will allocate 17,000 million euros to the renewables business. With these investments, we will increase our installed renewable capacity by 12,100 MW to 52,000 MW by 2025 —6,300 MW of photovoltaic, 3,100 MW of onshore wind, 1,800 MW of offshore, 700 MW of batteries and 200 MW of hydro.