Spain is set to undertake a major step in renewable energy development with the construction of Western Europe’s largest hydroelectric power plant.
Iberdrola, the country's leading electric utility company, announced plans to begin work next year on Conso II, a pumped storage power plant located in the Sil basin in Ourense, Galicia, in northwestern Spain.
The project, which has recently been unveiled, is seen as a significant contribution to Spain’s renewable energy goals.
The Conso II plant is a pumped storage power station, sometimes referred to as a ‘Giga battery,’ which will play a crucial role in supporting Spain’s transition to more sustainable energy sources.
The facility is designed to store energy, making it an essential part of the energy grid. It will link two reservoirs – the high-altitude Cenza reservoir and the lower-altitude Bao reservoir – exploiting the 690-meter altitude difference to generate and store energy.
The project is expected to take six years to complete, with Iberdrola investing 1.5 billion euros (approximately $1.58 billion) in the development.
The aim is for the plant to produce 100 per cent renewable energy, contributing to Spain’s efforts to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and achieve greater energy sustainability.
Cristian Fabrega, a renewable energy expert and Coordinator of the Master in Renewable Energies and Energy Sustainability at the University of Barcelona, expressed his support for such initiatives.
He explained that these types of projects are crucial for countries that want to move towards energy alternatives that are not yet fully realised.
Many countries, he noted, already base their electricity grids on hydraulic energy and hydraulic storage, making the Conso II project a logical and necessary step forward.
The facility will use surplus solar energy generated during the day to pump water between the two reservoirs. This water will be stored in the Bao reservoir until it is needed, at which point it will be released to flow through turbines to generate electricity.
This system ensures that the plant operates on a 100 per cent clean process, without requiring new reservoirs or additional deposits, as it will use the existing ones.
With an expected production capacity of 4,000 GWh per year, Conso II will generate almost twice as much energy as any nuclear power station in Spain.
This is a substantial contribution to Spain's renewable energy infrastructure, as the plant will help provide a steady, reliable power supply, even when renewable sources like solar and wind are not producing energy.
Iberdrola also estimates that the plant will have a reserve of 58 million kWh of storable energy, which is enough to meet the average daily consumption of approximately 10 million users.
The Conso II plant is part of a broader trend in the energy sector, where many companies are diversifying their portfolios and focusing on large-scale renewable energy projects.
As the world shifts away from fossil fuels, energy companies recognise the importance of adapting their strategies.
Investments in renewable energy infrastructure, such as the Conso II project, are becoming increasingly common, with companies realising they can no longer rely solely on traditional sources of power like oil and gas.
Iberdrola’s investment in the Conso II project is a significant commitment to the future of Spain’s energy system. The plant will not only provide clean, renewable energy but will also help stabilise the country’s power grid by providing much-needed storage capacity.
The ability to store excess energy produced during the day for use at night or during periods of low production is essential for ensuring the reliability of renewable energy sources, which can be intermittent.
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