KEY POINTS
- Eni has started up the 150 MW Caparacena solar plant in Granada, lifting its installed renewable capacity in Spain to nearly 1.5 GW.
- The project is one of Eni’s largest in Spain and was built alongside measures to protect a sixth century Iberian necropolis discovered during construction.
- The start up supports Eni’s broader plan to exceed 5.5 GW of renewable capacity this year and reach 15 GW globally by 2030.
Eni SpA has brought a new large-scale solar facility online in southern Spain, deepening its push into renewables in one of Europe’s most competitive clean energy markets.
Through its renewable and retail arm, Eni Plenitude SpA Società Benefit, the Italian energy group has started operations at the 150 megawatt Caparacena photovoltaic project in the province of Granada. The start up lifts Eni’s total installed renewable capacity in Spain to close to 1.5 gigawatts, the company said.
Caparacena is Eni’s second operational solar plant in Andalusia and one of its largest developments in the country to date.
The site stretches across 264 hectares in the municipalities of Chimeneas and Ventas de Huelma and is made up of three separate photovoltaic parks of 50 megawatts each.
More than 274,000 bifacial solar modules have been installed, giving the plant an expected annual output of around 320 gigawatt hours.
The project forms part of roughly 400 megawatts of solar capacity that Eni completed across Spain last year, although the company only confirmed the plant’s activation now.
Archaeological discovery shapes construction of flagship Granada project
Eni said the development was completed alongside extensive environmental and cultural preservation work after archaeological monitoring uncovered a sixth century Iberian necropolis on the site in April 2024.
The find included funerary ceramic urns and other historical artefacts, prompting adjustments to construction plans to ensure the remains were protected in line with permitting requirements.
During the build, the company said it implemented a series of measures aimed at safeguarding the surrounding natural environment and preserving soil quality, reflecting conditions attached to the project’s authorisation.
The Caparacena facility adds to Eni’s growing solar portfolio in Andalusia, where it already operates the 230 megawatt Guillena plant near Seville.
The company is also developing another 200 megawatt solar project in the province, known as Entrenúcleo, located between the municipalities of Dos Hermanas and Coria del Río. Construction began in July and the plant is expected to start producing power next year.
