The Cordovilla photovoltaic park in Ibargoiti will consist of 272,700 modules

Pamplona 26.07.23. The Valencian company Esparity Solar is promoting this project which will start operating next year. Construction and maintenance will generate 500 local jobs, both direct and indirect. Most of the jobs will be centred in the installation process.

Reduction of 182,000 tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere

Esparity Solar is planning a photovoltaic park with 272,700 modules in the municipality of Ibargoiti, with a capacity of 150 MWp. The project, called Cordovilla, will contribute to “reducing 182,000 tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere and will produce energy to supply more than 86,000 homes in Navarre”. This is according to estimates by the company who issued a press release on Wednesday. Its promoters predict that it will be operational in 2024.

With the construction phase and subsequent maintenance, the company expects to generate 500 local jobs, both direct and indirect. Most of these jobs will be concentrated on the construction period.  Through this solar farm, “Esparity Solar wants to expand its commitment to the region”, the company has stated.

From a socio-economic point of view, Ibargoiti and its inhabitants, together with adjacent municipalities, will experience “a revitalisation of the area thanks to the increase in the active population that this park will attract”, the company remarked. It will use regional and local suppliers from different sectors for the purchase and supply of construction materials and for the acquisition of services.

 

Agreement with the Down's Syndrome Association

Aside from the economic contribution to the region, the solar park seeks to contribute to social and employment inclusion in Navarre. For this reason, Esparity Solar and the Downs Syndrome Association of Navarre are working on a collaboration agreement that aims to promote access to the labour market for people with intellectual disabilities, primarily with Downs syndrome, by carrying out tasks appropriate to their abilities and with suitable training.

This agreement will come into practice in the upcoming weeks and aims to promote autonomy and quality of life. It will also encourage training and job placements. Moreover it will contribute to companies and society’s awareness of the importance of full integration into social, school and work life of people with special needs.

Apiaries in the solar installation area

The Cordovilla project will promote a synergy between crops and green energy production together with the farmers and will establish apiaries in the area of the solar installation.

Bee Happy is a sustainable beekeeping company from Navarre. It’s mission is based on responsible beekeeping management and on increasing the bee population by prioritising their welfare. Bee Happy is also expected to participate in the introduction of beekeeping in the photovoltaic park. Bees are responsible for the pollination of a large percentage of the planet’s plants and crops. In addition, the possibility of people with intellectual disabilities or at risk of social exclusion taking care of the hives and the maintenance of the apiaries is being analysed.

The company states: “This initiative would represent a precedent of triple collaboration between associations, local companies and the photovoltaic installation. This is because it would generate a synergy between totally sustainable measures for the conservation of biodiversity, with the inclusion of socially vulnerable groups in the workplace and the solar park itself”.

Seal of Sustainability

The facility has been awarded the Seal of Excellence in Sustainability, promoted by the Spanish National Photovoltaic Union, which recognises compliance with sustainability standards based on criteria for optimum environmental and social integration of this park. In addition, Cordovilla has been considered in an analysis of renewable and sustainable projects, carried out by the Rey Juan Carlos University and the Ecological and Development Foundation, “as a case of success in the implementation of renewable energies in Spain”. The study was supported by the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITERD).

Published by: Noticias de Navarra