POWEN, a company specialised in energy self-consumption powered by photovoltaic installations has announced the completion of one of the largest solar pumping plants in Spain. With it, its developer, Casas de Hualdo, is highlighting its innovative spirit and commitment with the environment.
The facility is located on an area of 1.3 hectares (ha) in the Toledo town of El Carpio del Tajo. With a capacity of 567 kWp, its energy is used to irrigate approximately 100 hectares of arable crops and 270 hectares of olive groves.
The estimates made point to an annual saving of more than 94,000 Euro per year. After 25 years, the accumulated savings will exceed two million Euro. It is the third solar self-consumption plant that POWEN has launched over the last two months in the rural sector. In mid-October, the group launched a pioneering project with one of the Agrarian Transformation Societies of the province of Albacete, with a capacity of 190.8 kWp, and in February of this year it inaugurated a new plant in Seville, with a capacity of 58.3 kWp.
Its future-oriented strategy and environmental commitment have motivated Casas de Hualdo to undertake this huge investment. The goal is to greatly reduce the carbon footprint generated by the production of its oils. The use of renewable energies, together with modern techniques for the optimization of irrigation water and fertilization, make it possible to manage olive groves in a more environmentally-friendly manner.
Mr Jacobo MartÃnez, director of POWEN AgrÃcola, highlighted that "given its capacity, the launch of this solar pumping plant is a key step in the development of the rural sector. But above all, it will entail huge savings in irrigation-related energy costs. We are very proud of its implementation."
Mr Jose Antonio Peche, director of Casas de Hualdo, said that "to remain a leader in a sector such as the EVOO you need to go much further than just offering an excellent product. For Casas de Hualdo, it is fundamental to look at the whole picture, with olive groves as an inseparable part of a very valuable environment. Sustainability is not a passing fad, but the only way to understand our work philosophy."