Solaria, Merlin Ink Spain’s First Hybrid Data-Center PPA

• Spain’s first solar-plus-battery PPA will firm 24/7 power for Merlin’s 213‑MW Madrid data center, pairing 426 MWp solar (40-year) with 600 MWh storage (10-year) to beat evening ramps.

Solaria signed Spain’s first hybrid solar-plus-battery PPA with Merlin Properties to power a 213-MW data center in the Madrid region. The agreement bundles 213 MW of access and grid-connection rights, related electrical infrastructure, and long-term supply. It includes 426 MWp of solar under a 40-year PPA and 600 MWh of battery capacity under a 10-year contract, structured to balance renewable output with reliability for a large digital load.

The deal deepens the pair’s partnership after Merlin’s prior 445 MWp, 15-year PPA with Solaria. It underscores data centers’ shift from “green volumes” to firmed, evening-ramp-capable supply amid tight grids and higher reputational stakes.

How does this hybrid PPA secure evening-ramp reliability for Merlin’s 213-MW data center?

• PV oversizing creates surplus: 426 MWp feeds the data center by day and consistently overproduces at midday to charge the battery for evening use.
  
• Battery shapes the ramp: 600 MWh can deliver roughly 213 MW for ~2.8 hours, or a lower output for longer, bridging the 6–10 p.m. net-load ramp and smoothing volatility.
  
• Shaped, firm evening blocks: the contract can commit fixed, dispatchable blocks during peak hours, turning variable solar into a predictable supply profile.
  
• Dispatch and scheduling rights: coordinated day-ahead/real-time charge–discharge scheduling prioritizes evening cover, with automated charging during midday surplus and curtailment windows.
  
• Deliverability baked in: bundled grid-access and dedicated interconnection reduce congestion risk at the evening peak, improving the odds contracted energy actually arrives.
  
• Fast-response grid support: the battery provides ramping, frequency response, and ride-through, keeping IT loads stable during rapid system changes at sunset.
  
• Market hedge: firmed evening supply reduces exposure to peak-price spikes and imbalance costs that typically hit hardest during the ramp.
  
• Seasonal tuning: longer shoulder/summer solar tails extend evening coverage; in winter, the battery targets the tightest peak hours while the grid backstops the remainder.
  
• Load flexibility alignment: non-urgent compute (batch/AI training) can be timed to daylight and early evening, reserving battery output for critical workloads at peak.
  
• Longevity and upgrades: a 40-year PV term with room for augmentation, plus expandable MWh, preserves evening firmness despite module degradation and evolving load.