The Basque Country will double its photovoltaic generation capacity with the largest solar project in its history.

EKIAN, the largest solar project in the Basque Country, will add 24 MW of renewable energy before the end of 2019

The Basque Country plans to double its solar electricity generation capacity, with 24 new MW, before the end of 2019. This “milestone” will be possible thanks to the new construction of what is, to date, the largest solar project in the Basque Country, Ekian, in Araba, which will start up next June. Thus, the Basque Government plans to increase solar photovoltaic energy, which now accounts for 1.4% of all renewable energy, to 4.4% in just under a decade. A necessary objective to meet the renewable electricity production set out in the Basque Government’s Energy Strategy for 2030. Thus, the Basque Country is jumping on the bandwagon of a generation source that recently brought us the news of the largest photovoltaic project in Europe.

This park, located in the Ribera Baja part of the province, is a public-private initiative that will equip 67,000 solar panels of 355 watts each, capable of adding up to a total installed capacity of 24 MW, with an estimated annual production of 40,000 MWh. Energy equivalent to the electricity consumption of 15,000 families in a year.

However, Ekian is also a pioneering initiative in the Basque Country, as it is the first time that energy exploitation of this type has been promoted through collaboration between the public and private sectors. Thus, the final owners of the installed capacity will be joint ventures, which will contribute around 24 million euros to make the project a reality.

Start of work

Although the project is scheduled to be completed in December, construction will begin at the end of April. To achieve this, after clearing work, 20,000 m3 of earth will need to be removed and 6,000 m3 of rock demolished. Prior to this, driving tests will be carried out in May to verify the ground’s response to the foundations for the pillars. Thus, the first solar modules will be installed at the end of June.