EDP Renewables (EDPR) has just connected its first international hybrid plant to the grid, combining wind and energy production on a single site. This is the first park of its kind on the Iberian Peninsula to combine the two different technologies, further contributing to decarbonisation and increasing the presence of renewable energy on the electrical grid.

The Mina de Orgueirel Solar Plant was opened next to the Mosteiro Wind Park in Sabugal municipality, Portugal, with a direct connection to the substation, taking full advantage of the electrical infrastructure already in place and creating a hybrid electricity production complex.  

This new solar plant provides an installed capacity of 8.4 MW with over 17,000 bifacial solar panels which, as the name would imply, are capable of capturing solar irradiance on both sides of the panel, thereby maximising renewable energy production. 

The wind park has eight turbines and a total installed capacity of 11 MW, including a more powerful turbine installed as part of an over-equipment project. Since its commissioning in 2004 the park has produced over 350 GWh of clean energy.

The hybrid project is capable of producing up to 39.5 GWh per year, enough to provide over 30,000 people with renewable energy over the course of one year. The hybrid complex will also help prevent the emission of approximately 18,000 tonnes of CO2 annually. 

" The commissioning of EDPR's first hybrid wind/solar park is a reflection of our pioneering and innovative spirit as well as a deepening of our commitment to energy transition within our core business regions. By taking this hybrid approach we will be able to increase the amount of electricity produced within the region as well as minimise the impact of new undertakings in renewables by maximising use of the pre-existing infrastructure. We fully intend to carry on investing in the hybridisation of parks held in our portfolio, both in Portugal as well as in other regions with strong development potential ", states Duarte Bello, EDPR executive director for Europe and Latin America.

The hybridisation of pre-existing assets via the adaptation of wind, solar and water technologies is one of the main pathways for growth within the renewable energy sector, offering a number of benefits: the increased efficiency of projects, the use and co-opting of existing electrical infrastructure, increased cost stability and a reduced impact on the environment. 

At present EDPR has over 1600 MW worth of hybrid projects for these technologies in Spain and Portugal which are either in the study or development phase. Whilst in varying phases of maturity these are expected to be commissioned over the course of the next several years. EDPR intends to carry on focusing on similar projects in all regions of the world where it maintains a presence, with hybrid park development already under way in North and South America in addition to other European countries including Poland, Italy and Greece.

The EDP Group has been a pioneering entity in the development of hybrid renewable energy projects at the European level and in 2022 inaugurated the largest floating solar park in Europe in a hydro power plant reservoir.