With an investment of €70 million and built in record time, the two photovoltaic plants will add a joint capacity of 100 MW and will generate 202 GWh per year.
Due to the pandemic and in accordance with the indications of the health authorities, the company implemented rigorous security protocols , in order to guarantee the necessary protection of the workers involved in construction, as well as the communities in which the plants are being installed.
Luca Capuozzo, Endesa's construction manager for Las Corchas and Los Naranjos, expressed his gratitude for "the effort of all the workers and the coordination with the local authorities of Carmona and La Rinconada, which also made it possible for the province of Seville to produce today cleaner energy."
Las Corchas and Los Naranjos have 258,120 bifacial photovoltaic panels , which allows capturing solar radiation from both sides, optimizing their use. In addition, 14 transformation centers, 2 electrical substations and 45 kilometers of underground networks have been built for its operation. This set has allowed today to generate its first megawatt of renewable energy, which has already reached the Andalusian electricity distribution network. The renewable energy produced by the two plants will prevent the annual emission of more than 94,000 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere .
For the construction of the two photovoltaic plants, Endesa has implemented the latest technology in this field, such as the use of an exoskeleton to facilitate the installation of the solar modules, security cameras to detect any security breach during construction, and integrated systems. juntion that allow joining the photovoltaic modules without rivets.
In addition, Endesa is using virtual reality to supervise these plants through smart glasses, which allows remote assistance from supervisors without the need to physically go to the construction area . This technology also incorporates an infrared camera that captures images of construction and execution activities in real time.
For the construction of Las Corchas and Los Naranjos Endesa has followed sustainable engineering criteria and has applied Enel Green Power's "Sustainable Construction Site" model, including the installation of photovoltaic solar panels to cover part of the energy needs during the work, efficient lighting, waste separation, use of an electric car to move around the plants and provision of several defibrillators to ensure the health of workers. Once the works are completed, these measures will be donated to the municipality of Carmona for public use.
Endesa's philosophy when building its renewable facilities is part of its “Creation of Shared Value” (CSV) program that has led the Company to carry out training courses in renewable matters for more than 125 people from Carmona and La Rinconada, most of them unemployed, who now have knowledge in the assembly and disassembly of photovoltaic installations, a booming sector.
Within Endesa's CSV program, the company has also collaborated with local associations in the assembly of screws or in the donation of materials, such as pallets and cable reels, for the occupational workshops of Carmona
he start of production of these photovoltaic plants marks the end of one phase, but the beginning of another, since Endesa has selected these facilities to develop a pioneering and innovative project : agrivoltaic and beekeeping in photovoltaic facilities .
This project is based on the cultivation of 3 hectares of aromatic plants between the photovoltaic panels of Endesa's plants in Carmona. This cultivation will then allow the bees that are located between the panels, to develop their pollinating function, creating a sustainable honey with a solar brand.
Endesa and the City Council of Carmona are precisely selecting solar beekeepers in the town, since the beekeeping activity together with Endesa's agrivoltaic project, represent not only a boost to the socioeconomic development of the local community , but also a clear example of how to return the agricultural use to the land, thus applying the concept of shared value and circular economy for which Endesa is betting on all its renewable facilities.
