Endesa and Masdar invest 25.2 million euros in three 120 MWh BESS projects in Spain

Masdar, a global leader in clean energy, and Endesa today commemorated the start of construction on three battery energy storage projects in Spain. These projects will add 60.16 megawatts (MW) of battery storage capacity and 120.34 megawatt-hours (MWh) of storage capacity to solar plants in Extremadura and Andalusia, representing a joint investment of €25.2 million.

The projects are Ardila, at the 44 MWp solar plants in Fregenal de la Sierra (Badajoz), and La Vega I and La Vega II, at two solar plants in Teba (Málaga). By storing some of the electricity they generate, they will contribute to integrating more renewable energy into the grid and making the electrical system more flexible.

These projects are the first energy storage developments under the Masdar-Endesa alliance, established in 2014 when Masdar acquired a stake in a portfolio of Endesa photovoltaic assets in Spain.

Dr. Ibraheem Almansouri, Masdar's interim chief operating officer, said: "Spain is one of the fastest-growing economies in Europe, and this growth requires a secure and resilient electricity supply. These projects will help integrate more clean energy into the grid and strengthen the stability of the electricity system. They demonstrate how strategic partnerships can accelerate the deployment of advanced energy technologies, reinforce grid resilience, and support sustainable economic growth, and they consolidate the strength of our alliance with Endesa while expanding our portfolio in the Iberian Peninsula. We look forward to continuing to invest in Spain and support the country's economic ambitions."

All three systems will use lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries with grid-forming inverters. This technology provides synthetic inertia, mimicking the behavior of a conventional thermal or hydroelectric generating unit, and responds almost instantaneously to sudden changes in grid conditions, thus contributing to the stability of the electrical system.

Ardila will provide 36.10 MW (72.20 MWh) of storage in 12 battery containers, enough to store the equivalent of the daily electricity consumption of approximately 8,100 Spanish households. La Vega I and La Vega II will each provide 12.03 MW (24.07 MWh) in four battery containers per site, which together is equivalent to the daily consumption of approximately 5,400 households. All three projects are expected to be operational by the end of 2027.

In total, 50 jobs will be created during the construction of three projects, with a commitment to using European-sourced components and services, including inverters, auxiliary systems, communications, and integration, thereby boosting the regional energy storage value chain. In Ardila, the partners will also collaborate with the Fregenal de la Sierra Town Council to identify local improvement projects, allocating part of the budget to training.

The research and technical validation will be carried out with CIRCE and the Institute of Research in Technology (IIT) of the Pontifical University Comillas, including on-site tests and studies of the operation of the electrical network.

Masdar currently has 4.1 GW of operational capacity in the Iberian Peninsula, with approximately 1 GW under development. These projects further Masdar's strategy of collaborating with industry leaders to drive the deployment of renewable energy globally, with the goal of reaching 100 GW of global capacity by 2030.