Tesla and Zelestra Sign Long-Term Solar PPA in Spain

Tesla and renewable energy company Zelestra have signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) in Spain, securing a clean energy supply for the automotive company’s operations.

The long-term 57MWac (alternating current) PPA will see Tesla receive 130 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of renewable energy per year.

Supply will come from three solar plants – Brazatortas I, II and IV – to be built in Ciudad Real (Castilla-La Mancha). According to Iberdrola España, Ciudad Real is the province of La Mancha that receives the most sunlight per year, making it an optimal location for solar projects.

The projects will have a combined total capacity of more than 74MW (direct current) and an annual production of 146GWh.

Construction of the plants will commence immediately following the closing of the PPA.

Speaking on the deal, Ivan Nieto, chief commercial officer of Zelestra, stated that the agreement with Tesla will allow the company to supply clean energy to the automotive industry and reinforces its role as a partner offering tailored, carbon-free solutions around the world and across all sectors.

Zelestra has a carbon-free portfolio of 28GW across 13 countries but has recently demonstrated its commitment to projects in Spain. The company currently has a project portfolio of more than 5GW in the country.

It most recently celebrated the start of operations at a new 54MWdc solar photovoltaic plant in Murcia, which will supply Shell Energy with 105GWh of clean energy annually for ten years. Earlier in the year, it signed a PPA with Avery Dennison for renewable energy supply from its Las Rozas solar plant in Sevilla.

Beyond Spain and Tesla, Zelestra has continued its clean energy collaboration with another of the world’s biggest companies, Meta, through four new environmental attribute purchase agreements (EAPAs) in Texas, US. Under the EAPAs, Zelestra will supply clean energy to support the tech giant’s data centre operations.