FCC solar project

Spanish group FCC's energy division has begun a new €240 million solar thermal energy project in Spain's Alicante province.

Alberto Fabra, President of the Valencia regional government, and Baldomero Falcones, chairman of FCC, celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony this week for the plant, which is in the city of Villena.

After visiting the site, Mr Falcones said that construction of the new plant would create 750 direct and indirect jobs over the next two years.

The 50MW solar thermal energy plant will produce 110,000MWh of electricity per year. The solar thermal power plant is located at the southwest edge of the Alhorines Valley. The area has one of the highest levels of solar radiation in the Valencia region, receiving 1,900kWh/m² per year. The plant, which will span 230ha, is located close to major highways, including the A-31, the N-344, and the CV-656.

Construction is partially affected by two other large infrastructure projects currently under way in the area - the Jumilla to Font de la Figuera section of the A-33 highway and the Madrid to Alicante high-speed railway.

FCC Energy manages around 1,000MW of installed capacity at its plants in the UK, Central and Eastern Europe and Spain. Outside Spain, the division has two energy-from-waste plants, in Allington and Eastcroft, both in the UK, and is also involved in wind farm development there.

In Spain, the company also manages the 50MW Palma del Río solar thermal energy plant in Córdoba, and it has 420MW in wind capacity and 20MW in photovoltaic capacity.