If possible, install photovoltaic parks in reservoirs and other water layers. This is the purpose of the new decree that the government is preparing, which will increase the country’s renewable energy production by taking advantage of such areas.
The Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Struggle (Miteco) has presented the Royal Decree governing the installation of the facilities to the public. floating photovoltaic plants in the public hydraulic field or other public hydraulic infrastructures connected to electrical transmission or distribution networks. In this way, one of the measures approved days ago in the National Plan was launched to respond to the economic and social consequences of the war in Ukraine.
The government has confirmed that floating solar installations will make it possible to increase electricity generation capacity in Spain from renewable sources, thereby accelerating the energy transition and the decarbonisation of our economy.
The ministry says these plants will benefit the environment: they will reduce the evaporation of water bodies and the presence of algae and will also produce more energy due to the cooling provided by the water and the reduction of dust.
Installing these floating solar power plants on reservoirs and other elements of the public hydraulic field will increase the capacity to generate electricity from renewable sources, something crucial to accelerating the energy transition and reducing our country’s vulnerability to exceptional situations like ours. is happening today.
It will also facilitate the achievement of the targets set forth in the Climate Change and Energy Transformation Law, which plans to achieve an electricity system with 42% penetration of renewable energies in final consumption and 74% renewable generation by 2030.
This floating solar capacity will contribute to the energy produced by hydroelectric power plants. It will make it possible to increase the production of facilities and optimize their evacuation infrastructures. These facilities will also have higher energy efficiency than terrestrial systems, thanks to the cooling effects of water and the reduction of dust.
The purpose of this Royal Decree is to determine what conditions permits must contain. and administrative concessions for the commissioning of these photovoltaic plants, which will allow for more sustainable use of public hydraulic space and better protection of the state of water bodies.
In more than a hundred reservoirs
Regulations prescribe a maximum of three plants per reservoir and partial coverage depending on the trophic state of each: The worse the quality of its waters, the greater its scope can be.. In this sense, if the reservoir is classified as mesotrophic, ie has a moderate biological productivity, the maximum percentage of the total area covered will be limited to 5%; 15% if eutrophic and 20% if hypereutrophic with high biological productivity.
Plants will not be installed in oligrotrophic reservoirs (with low biological productivity and therefore good water quality) or in lakes or lagoons of natural origin.
Currently, there are about a hundred state-owned reservoirs in Spain where such a facility can be located. Miteco and watershed organizations will conduct a comprehensive follow-up of each to determine the coverage ratio to ensure compliance with environmental targets.
temporary concessions
Photovoltaic solar power generation plants floating in the hydraulic public domain will be granted through temporary concessions for a maximum of 25 years.. Interested parties are required to have a connection permit to a point of the electricity transmission or distribution network and to submit studies on the possible effects of these plates on the water body.
In addition, watershed organizations may request technical reports from the concessionaire to assess the impact on the management of the utility’s public hydraulic area, the safety and operation of infrastructures, the environmental compatibility of use, and the guarantee of water supply. ecological or environmental demands foreseen in hydrological planning.
Monitoring and evaluation programs
The establishment of this type of power plant will be beneficial for both energy production and the environment. Among other advantages, the shadow these plates will provide on the liquid surface is expected to result in reduced evaporation of water bodies and less algae growth in fresh water. They will also prevent land change from occurring at onshore facilities.
Given that the concept of floating photovoltaics is still new, follow-up programs will be established to better understand the characteristics of these facilities, to consider the possible effects they may have, and to examine the requirements for their commissioning. To this end, MITECO will prepare guidelines, technical guides or recommendations to guide their implementation and will closely monitor the development of these facilities.