All about solar parks

Innovation with solar energy

Solar energy has become a key renewable energy source in the Spanish energy sector. According to the latest report from the International Energy Agency's Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (IEA-PVPS), Spain is the country with the highest solar photovoltaic penetration rate in the world, reaching 21.1%. This figure indicates that more than a fifth of the electricity consumed in the country comes from this renewable energy.

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What is a solar park or a solar photovoltaic park?

A solar park, also known as a solar photovoltaic park, is a large-scale installation designed to generate electricity from sunlight. It is composed of a large number of solar panels or photovoltaic panels spread across large areas of land.

Difference between a solar park and a solar farm

A solar park should not be confused with a solar farm. Both facilities are related to solar power generation, but differ mainly in scale, design, and function. Broadly speaking, they can be differentiated as follows:

Solar park:

Large-scale photovoltaic installation.
It is usually owned by energy companies or entities.
Generates electricity on a large scale for sale to the electrical grid or to large consumers.

Solar farm:

Photovoltaic installation that is smaller than a solar park.
It is usually owned by individuals, companies, or local communities.
It is intended for self-consumption or small-scale sale to the electrical grid.

How do solar parks work?

The operation of a solar photovoltaic park is based on the conversion of sunlight into electricity by means of the photoelectric effect.

Sunlight collection: photovoltaic panels, which are the basis of a solar park, are composed of photovoltaic cells made of silicon. These cells absorb sunlight.
Photoelectric effect: the energy from sunlight causes electrons in the photovoltaic cells to be released and flow freely.
Generation of direct current (DC): the movement of free electrons generates a direct current (DC).
Converting to alternating current (AC): the direct current generated by the photovoltaic panels is not compatible with the electrical grid, so an inverter is needed to convert it to alternating current (AC).
Electrical grid connection: AC electricity is fed through cables to the electrical grid, where it can be used to supply homes, businesses, or for sale to other businesses or consumers.

Solar parks in Spain

At Repsol, in line with our goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050, we are firmly committed to solar energy, developing a variety of projects ranging from solar communities and self-consumption solutions, to the construction of large solar parks in Spain, Chile, and the United States.

Our photovoltaic parks

Some of our most noteworthy solar projects are:

Jicarilla 1 and 2 (New Mexico, United States): one of our first solar projects in the United States. This two-phase initiative has 125 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity and 20 megawatts (MW) of battery storage.
Frye Solar (Texas, United States): with a capacity of 637 megawatts (MW), Frye Solar is our largest photovoltaic plant to date. This milestone marks an important step in our commitment to a low emissions future by generating renewable energy on a large scale.
Elena (Chile): together with Grupo Ibereólica Renovables, we have begun the first phase of this solar project, with an expected total capacity of up to 596 megawatts (MW). The plant will generate renewable energy for more than 554,000 Chilean households and avoid the emission of 1.19 million tonnes of CO₂ per year.
Sigma (Jerez de la Frontera, Cadiz, Spain): this project consists of five photovoltaic plants with a total capacity of 204 megawatts (MW). It has generated more than 500 jobs during construction and will produce 430 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of renewable electricity per year, enough to supply 43,000 homes.
Kappa (Manzanares, Ciudad Real, Spain): it is our first photovoltaic complex in the country. It has a capacity of 126.6 megawatts (MW) and supplies 71,000 homes. The plant represents an investment of 1 billion euros and avoids the emission of 107,600 tonnes of CO₂ annually, which is equivalent to planting 3.5 million trees.
Valdesolar (Badajoz, Spain): it is our largest photovoltaic plant in Spain, with a capacity of 264 megawatts (MW). This facility generates electricity for 140,000 homes and avoids the emission of 211,564 tonnes of CO₂ per year.