Acciona Energia Switches On Ayora Complex, Advancing Spain’s Solar Future

• Acciona Energia’s 85.74‑MWp Ayora solar complex in Valencia begins operations, supplying 172 GWh a year under PPAs with DaVita and Zimmer Biomet.

On 23 July 2025, Spanish renewables heavyweight Acciona Energia announced that its Ayora I‑II‑III photovoltaic complex in Jarafuel (Valencia) has reached commercial operation. The three‑site cluster totals 85.74 MWp and lifts the company’s operational solar capacity in mainland Spain to more than 1.5 GW.

The new array is designed to pump out about 172 GWh of clean power each year—enough to cover the annual electricity demand of roughly 66,000 Spanish households. Most of that output is already spoken for under a pair of 12‑year power‑purchase agreements with US‑listed healthcare firms DaVita and Zimmer Biomet. By locking in predictable green energy, both corporates expect to slash Scope 2 emissions and shield themselves from wholesale‑price swings while Acciona secures long‑term revenue for the plant.

Beyond delivering electrons, Ayora is structured to boost the local economy. Construction mobilised more than 300 temporary workers from neighbouring towns, and Acciona has committed to invest a share of project returns in community initiatives ranging from vocational training to biodiversity conservation in the Hoces del Cabriel region.

Technically, the complex deploys high‑efficiency bifacial modules mounted on single‑axis trackers, allowing the panels to capture reflected light and follow the sun across the Valencian sky. That hardware package, coupled with Spain’s exceptional solar resource, pushes Ayora’s expected capacity factor above 22 %—competitive with many onshore wind farms.

The project also fits snugly into Acciona’s PPA‑driven business model. Roughly 80 % of the group’s global generation is now contracted to commercial and industrial clients, a strategy that provides cash‑flow visibility without relying on Spain’s auction scheme. Management says Ayora’s success reinforces the case for replicating similar mid‑scale clusters on brownfield and agrarian land where grid access is available.

With the complex online, Acciona now has more than 12.3 GW of renewable capacity worldwide and is pacing ahead of its target to hit 20 GW by 2030. Spain’s 2030 energy‑and‑climate plan calls for an additional 65 GW of solar by the decade’s end, ensuring fertile ground for further roll‑outs. Ayora may represent only a sliver of that goal, but its swift delivery underscores how nimble, PPA‑backed projects can accelerate the Iberian Peninsula’s march toward a carbon‑neutral power system.