Spanish region of Aragon fast-tracks eight PV projects totaling 398 MW

The government of Aragon has highlighted 20 large-scale renewable energy projects as investments of regional interest.

According to Spanish legislation, these kinds of investments have particular relevance for the economic development of the country’s regions and, as a such, are entitled to a fast-tracked approval and bureaucratic process.

Overall, Aragon’s government hopes to support 12 wind power projects totaling around 450 MW, and eight solar power projects with a combined capacity of approximately 398 MW, through this initiative.

Of the PV projects, five are planned to be deployed in Escatrón, Chiprana y Samper de Calanda, together with their respective transmission lines for a total investment of around €142 million. A sixth, €45 million, solar plant is being developed in the municipality of San Mateo de Gállego, near Zaragoza, while two more 50 MW PV facilities are being planned in the municipalities of La Muela y Muel, respectively.

The latter two plants, according to the regional government, will require an aggregate investment of around €80 million. More details about the project were not provided.

According to local association, UNEF, in Spain there are currently 24 GW of large-scale solar projects under review by both national and regional authorities.

Spain’s central region of Castilla-La Mancha revealed in March that its environmental and energy authorities were reviewing 60 solar projects with a combined capacity of 1.3 GW. The Spanish regions with the largest amount of announced large-scale solar projects, however, are Andalucía and Extremadura, both of which are located in the southernmost part of the country.