We collect the first organic solar honey in the world at the Photovoltaic Plant of Campo Arañuelo
Iberdrola recently collected the solar honey produced at Campo Arañuelo III photovoltaic system in Cáceres, a new stage in the solar honey production project that the company launched in 2020 with the company from Extremadura Tesela Naturawhich is part of the Ecoenergias del Guadiana group.
Photovoltaic power plants are becoming very useful spaces for producing pure honey, while providing beekeepers with safe spaces, free of theft and pesticides. A few months ago, following a study of the different hive locations by the Organic Agriculture Committee of Extremadurathis solar power plant has been granted organic land status, giving birth to the world’s first organic honey.
The harvest season is now over and the honey has been harvested from the 40 hives which have been introduced alongside photovoltaic panels that generate emission-free green energy.
For Nicolas Anthony, boss of Iberdrola Renovables in Extremadura, “this project is an example of the good integration that can be achieved between clean energy and biodiversity. The photovoltaic space can have other uses that also benefit the entire surrounding area with pollination that enriches the ecosystem”.
For Beatriz Roman, Director of Tesela Natura, “the honey produced in solar power plants is kept away from pesticides, allowing bees to work quietly and quietly and beekeepers to leave their hives there without fear of theft, which is one of the main problems encountered by the sector” .
Between 2022 and 2023, the project plans to extend to other regions of Spain, such as Castilla La Mancha, and will continue in Andalusia, where honey has already been collected at the Andévalo photovoltaic plant.
The Arañueño III photovoltaic plant (40 MW), located in the municipality of Cáceres in Romangordo, is the first photovoltaic project in Spain to integrate a storage system, in this case a battery with 3 MW of power and 9 MWh of storage capacity. This facility is part of the Campo Arañuelo complex, located in the Almaraz region, consisting of the Arañuelo I, II and III photovoltaic power plants, which have an installed capacity of 143 MW and will prevent the emission of 41,000 t CO2/year in the atmosphere.
Living with biodiversity
In March 2021, 162 hives were already installed Andévalo photovoltaic power plant (Huelva) with the aim of preserving biodiversity in the environment and protecting a species like bees, while advancing the strategy of decarbonizing the economy.
60 pounds of honey produced in the photovoltaic plant were collected and donated to various women’s associations in the region. The honey was used to make artisan sweets which were sold at a charity market, the proceeds of which will go to people affected by the La Palma volcano.
Iberdrola has also recently commissioned Spain’s first smart agrovoltaic plant in the González Byass and Grupo Emperador vineyards located in the city of Guadamur, Toledo. This innovative installation makes it possible to adapt the arrangement of the modules to the needs of the vineyards, in order to regulate the incidence of the sun and the temperature thanks to the shading of the panels.
Iberdrola has made more than 1,450 biodiversity protection actions over the past three years, combining the installation of renewable projects with the conservation of the biological diversity of ecosystems, the care of flora, fauna and natural heritage.