Spain intends to accelerate renewable energy as part of a bold plan led by a Seville based company, Totobiegosode. The firm has unveiled 50 projects across seven hydrographic confederations, designed for reservoirs with capacities up to 2,500 MWp. The initial phase involves an investment of around 300 million euros. The project centers on photovoltaic panels but remains open to wind, hydraulic, and solar tower technologies.
Photovoltaic panels will be installed on horizontal, fixed platforms resting on piles. They will sit at the bottom of the reservoirs, above the maximum water level, and will run along the bed of the reservoir.
Each project will cover roughly 100 hectares, all within state owned domains, with construction and operation designed to stay stable despite water level fluctuations.
Totobiegosode is named after a Paraguayan people who were the last indigenous group living in voluntary isolation outside the Amazon. It operates as an independent company supported by biologists, engineers, economists, and lawyers. Its focus is on designing, building, and operating renewable electricity generation plants and energy storage systems.
The platforms that Totobiegosode designs accommodate the thermal, electrical, and control equipment needed to harvest energy from solar photovoltaic and wind technologies, as well as heliostats for tower solar power, and they also support the energy storage systems mentioned above.
The company holds a utility model registration with the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office for these fixed platforms used in reservoirs.
Supply to homes, businesses and industries
Among the benefits of this technical and innovative approach is full compatibility with water use, hydraulics, hydropower, and the diverse reservoir applications in Spain such as sports, leisure boating, fishing, and swimming.
Entrepreneurs note a positive effect on reservoir water conservation, as the platforms create shaded areas over the water surface, helping reduce evaporation and eutrophication of water resources. Local adaptation is a key feature, with a visually unobtrusive profile and a design that minimizes disruption to existing activities on the reservoirs.
Totobiegosode projects aim to raise the share of renewable energy in Spain and contribute to climate protection. They combine sustainability with social impact, with about 15 to 20 percent of generated energy planned to be directed to local energy communities in towns near reservoirs to supply homes, businesses, and industries in the surrounding area. Social profitability becomes a central objective.
The goal is to bring energy to 320 towns with populations under 2,500, located within 15 kilometers of the reservoirs. When energy is used in a local cycle, environmental and social benefits accrue, contributing to the development of what is sometimes called emptied Spain.
Totobiegosode developments rely on the patented utility model and the companys technical and commercial capabilities, and they remain open to collaboration with other firms to promote similar projects in Spain and beyond.
Pioneer system in Spain
Directors Andres Barros Borrero and Fernando Martinez Salcedo describe Totobiegosodes projects as part of a radical transformation in reservoir based renewable energy generation, signaling a significant qualitative leap in environmental and social compatibility. Abroad, similar systems are being explored in Switzerland and the United States, with American efforts focusing on water channels.
The financing model for this Spanish venture includes an agreement with a development engineering firm and a civil construction company to advance execution projects. The plan also features a preliminary agreement with a mutual fund that starts with an initial contribution of 300 million. The model is progressive, with funding advancing as permits are obtained. There is strong enthusiasm to develop renewable energy projects in the current context, notes Salcedo.
Supporters of the initiative include professionals with more than twenty years of experience in designing, building, and operating solar technology and energy storage.