Located in a region in southern Spain that enjoys some 3,000 hours of sunshine a year, Guillena is TotalEnergies’ largest solar power cluster in Europe. It illustrates the Company’s commitment to build a more sustainable, environmentally-friendly energy future.
Featuring 395,000 bifacial photovoltaic panels with a tracker system technology, the power plants capture not only direct sunlight, but also the light reflected off the ground, which significantly improves their efficiency compared to a more conventional facility.
By tracking the sun’s path throughout the day, these panels bring greater consistency and performance to the energy production process. Combined with a robust commitment to preserve local biodiversity and give greater consideration to the local communities, this technology means that Guillena is a beacon of sustainable development.
Once the facilities have come on stream, the electricity produced by the plants will cover the annual needs of approximately 150,000 homes in the region, which is equivalent to a city like Salamanca in Spain. Overall, the Guillena solar power plants could contribute to a reduction of 140,000 tons of CO2 per year.
“It’s important for us to continue producing energy while taking care to limit the impact on the environment and the local landscape that I love so much… we’ll bring low-carbon energy to more people while respecting the balance of biodiversity,” María Álvarez Project Manager, TotalEnergies
The Guillena solar power plants in figures
- 263 MW of electricity production capacity
- 395,000 solar photovoltaic panels
- 150,000 households whose electricity use will be covered
Respect for biodiversity and commitment to the local communities
Special care has been taken to consider the project’s effect on the environment and preserve the wildlife and plant life. Engineers and scientists have worked hand in hand since day one of the project to minimize such impacts. For example, a biodiversity island has been created within the power cluster to ensure that both vegetation and animals can thrive. They can also take advantage of the water points that have been built in several places around the facilities.
Construction work on the plants has also created 800 jobs, with over 125 for local residents, and the focus has clearly been on working with companies in the Guillena region. At a time when Spain has announced a target of achieving 81% renewable energy by 2030, the electricity produced by the solar panels, which is fed directly into the grid, will provide people in the Seville region with access to low-carbon energy.
“Our duty is to ensure that appropriate environmental measures are taken to avoid, reduce and offset the solar power plant’s impact on the surrounding biodiversity,” María ÁlvarezProject Manager, TotalEnergies
TotalEnergies has 16 Sales & Customer Commercial shops in Spain, in convenient locations in cities and towns so the public can walk in and meet all their energy needs.
The residential market in Spain is a mature and competitive one, where TotalEnergies strives to make energy matters easy and flexible for everyone, all while maintaining the human touch. Gas, electricity, and maintenance services, along with e-mobility, combine to make TotalEnergies a strong player in the B2C space in Spain.
