Madrid, Spain – Sonnedix, a leading renewable energy producer with over 4 GW of global operating capacity, today announces the signing of a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Spanish national rail network operator Renfe, for the purchase of 420GWh of renewable energy per year to power its commercial operations.
The annual energy production of the solar installations used in this financial PPA will be enough to power 112,000 homes and avoid 155,000 tons of CO2. The PPA will meet a substantial amount of Renfe’s total predicted energy needs, helping the company to advance its sustainability goals.
The agreement was marked at a signing event in Madrid on Friday 6 June, attended by representatives from the management teams of Renfe and Sonnedix, Gregorio Morales Schmid, Chief Commercial Officer of Sonnedix, Gerson González, Representative Director of Sonnedix Spain, and Marta Torralvo, General Director Economic and Financial of Renfe.
Gregorio Morales, Chief Commercial Officer at Sonnedix, commented:“The signing of this agreement with Renfe marks a significant milestone in the evolution of our commercial strategy, which is now firmly centered on the end customer. We are committed to delivering flexible, bespoke energy solutions that empower our clients to play an active role in the energy transition, while ensuring cost competitiveness. The electricity we provide is generated from our portfolio of solar assets in Spain, which we are progressively expanding through the integration of battery storage and wind power. This diversification enables us to offer more tailored power profiles and deliver high-value-added services that respond to the evolving needs of our clients.”
Marta Torralvo, General Director Economic and Financial of Renfe, said:“This agreement represents a new step in Renfe’s energy management roadmap. This contract promotes renewable energy production projects while stabilising Renfe’s energy prices, which we consider very positive for the company’s management. The high volatility of energy prices was causing significant disruptions and uncertainties in the performance of results, and this way, these costs are made predictable. Agreements like the one signed with Sonnedix help us move forward on this path. It is important to note that Renfe’s trains constitute the passenger and freight transport system in Spain that consumes the least energy per unit transported. In fact, their carbon footprint is between 20 and 30 times lower than the emissions from cars or airplanes.”
The PPA agreement was made following the official inauguration of Sonnedix’s 150 MW Covatillas 1, 5 and 6 portfolio earlier last week. The Covatillas PV plants, located in the municipalities of Minglanilla, Graja de Iniesta, and Puebla del Salvador, in Cuenca, Spain, will deliver part of the power to Renfe, together with Sonnedix Portachuelo portfolio, located in the province of Toledo.
Sonnedix’s CEO, Axel Thiemann, said:“I’m proud to announce these two major milestones that reflect our continued growth in Spain and our ongoing commitment to the customers and communities we serve. The new power purchase agreement with Renfe reinforces our focus on long-term partnerships that support a more sustainable energy future. At the same time, the inauguration of our Covatillas portfolio marks a significant step in translating our development pipeline at scale, delivering more clean, reliable, and affordable energy across the country to meet Spain’s energy transition.”
Spanning 300 hectares, the Covatillas portfolio comprises three solar PV plants connected to a shared transmission point, alongside seven other solar PV and wind projects. Together, these form part of a broader renewable energy cluster with a combined capacity of approximately 1GW.
With construction now complete, the Sonnedix Covatillas 1,5 and 6 portfolio generates approximately 300,000 MWh of renewable energy, enough to power 71,000 homes1 and avoid over 108,000 metric tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year2.
The Sonnedix Covatillas inauguration ceremony brought together members of Sonnedix’s leadership team alongside mayors of the three local municipalities in which the project is located for the ribbon-cutting, officially inaugurating the project.
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Notes to Editors
About Sonnedix
Sonnedix is a global renewable energy producer with over a decade-long trajectory of sustainable growth. Sonnedix develops, builds, and operates renewable energy projects for the long-term, with a focus on providing green, affordable electricity to our customers, and acting as a true social citizen there where it operates.
Sonnedix currently has a total capacity of over 11.68 GW, with over 1.15 GW under construction and a development pipeline of more than 6.7GW, across Chile, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Poland, Portugal, Spain, USA, and UK. The company continues to expand its global footprint across OECD countries, through acquisitions and development of renewable energy projects.
For more information, please visit www.sonnedix.com
1IEA figures used in Average Household Electricity Consumption - 2024 - Shrink That Footprint