German renewable energy producer Encavis has signed its first hybrid power purchase agreement (PPA) combining solar and wind generation, agreeing to supply Spanish energy company Visalia with 60 GWh of renewable electricity annually over three and a half years. The contract covers approximately 210 GWh in total.
The electricity will come from Encavis’ Aragón portfolio near Zaragoza, Spain, which comprises two solar parks and three wind farms with a combined installed capacity of 199 MW.
Combining the two technologies is intended to provide a more consistent supply by complementing their generation profiles. Solar plants produce electricity during daylight hours, while wind farms can generate power at night and during other periods. Visalia plans to use the electricity to supply residential and commercial customers. The company said it operates more than 500 decentralized renewable energy installations in Spain.
Spain is one of Encavis’ key European markets. The company operates solar and wind farms there with a combined capacity of around 1 GW. The new agreement reflects its strategy of combining different generation technologies in its electricity sales.
Hybrid PPAs are gaining traction in Europe. Three hybrid PPAs were signed across the continent in September, the highest monthly total recorded to date, according to an analysis by Pexapark cited by pv magazine. Those agreements, however, mainly combined renewable generation with battery energy storage systems.
Source link