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Espot Esquí to install solar panels to power its ski lifts

Published: Sep 10, 2024
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The reservoir that serves to feed its snow production system during the ski season, will also host floating solar panels to move their lifts during the summer, when skiers give way to mountain bikers and hikers.

The Consell del Pallars Sobirà has taken a 'bold step to request the installation of a Floating Photovoltaic Plant, whose plates will be placed in the reservoir that has the Espot ski resort to feed the snow production system during the winter season.

There are hardly any installations of this type in Catalonia due to the difficulty in obtaining permits to approve the project.

The objective of Espot Esquí, for the moment, is to be able to move the ski lifts that can be in operation in summer and that allow transporting cyclists and hikers up to the middle and high altitude of the ski resort. Due to the characteristics of the location of this floating solar power plant in winter, it is likely that the panels will spend most of the season covered with snow.

The investment for this installation, previous agreement of the Consell del Pallars Sobirà with FGC, has been calculated in about 400,000 euros, most of them coming from the Next Generation Funds granted by the European Union for renewable energy transition projects. Carlos Isus, President of the Consell, has assured Diari Segre that "The placement of floating solar panels for self-consumption of energy to run the ski lifts opens many possibilities in the ski and mountain resort, although at first I have thought of mountain biking enthusiasts.

In fact, the fact that it is a project focused on the use of renewable energies has guaranteed the contribution of EU funds."

The project was approved by Carlos Isus himself last Tuesday, September 3, and is already in public exhibition for a month in case any individual, association or entity decides to submit any allegations.

There is no date yet to start with the project, but taking into account that one of the conditions to receive Next Generation Funds is to have the project ready in about two years, surely, and after obtaining the relevant permits, we will see the first movements in the spring of 2025 to probably start testing it that same summer.

The first and practically the only floating photovoltaic plant in Catalonia was delivered in March 2023 in Tarragona. It consists of 195 solar panels placed on a 1,745 m² raft. The installation has an estimated production capacity of 139,920 kWh/year, equivalent to the consumption of 43 homes.

Just a few months ago, some companies specialized in this type of water installations complained about the slowness of the Department of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda (DACC) of the Generalitat to grant permits for these photovoltaic plants. In fact, since the Tarragona plant was inaugurated, hardly any progress has been made on more new installations.

Among the problems sometimes encountered by interested parties is that the proposal for this installation is located in protected natural areas. A situation that Espot Esquí in principle should not suffer, because although it is the gateway to the National Park of Aigüestortes and Estany de Sant Maurici, the ski facilities are outside the boundaries of this protected area.

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