Spain: Regional Government Gives Environmental Approval to 70 MWh Battery Plant in Medina del Campo

The infrastructure, promoted by Inver Generación 10, will occupy approximately one hectare and must comply with fire prevention measures, soil protection, and environmental restoration requirements.

The Government of Castilla y León has issued a favorable environmental impact report for the “BESS El Carrascal” energy storage project, planned for the municipality of Medina del Campo. The facility, promoted by Inver Generación 10, S.L., will have a capacity of 17.50 megawatts (MW) and an energy storage capacity of 70 megawatt-hours (MWh), and will be linked to the existing El Carrascal solar photovoltaic plant in the area.

The decision, recorded in Order AGR/1162/2026, dated October 29, was published on Friday, November 6, 2026, in the Official Gazette of Castilla y León (BOCyL). The environmental clearance allows the administrative processing of the project to proceed, although it does not yet constitute final authorization for its construction and operation.

The project involves integrating a battery system into the photovoltaic installation to store electricity, facilitating its management and subsequent delivery to the grid. The planned capacity would allow for a discharge at the nominal power of 17.50 MW for approximately four hours, without considering potential energy losses.

A battery installation covering nearly one hectare

The project involves an approximate land use of 0.957 hectares, equivalent to around 9,570 square meters, within the premises of the El Carrascal photovoltaic plant.

The environmental documentation describes an infrastructure comprising 20 battery containers and three power stations, along with the electrical equipment necessary for their operation and energy evacuation.

One of the aspects valued in the procedure is that the work will be carried out on land already occupied by the solar installation, which limits the need to intervene on new surfaces.

The regional government sets conditions to protect the environment

The environmental assessment deems the project compatible with environmental protection, provided that the promoting company complies with the established preventive and corrective measures.

Among the stipulated obligations is the implementation of a perimeter planting using native tree and shrub species, aimed at reducing the visual impact of the facilities. This vegetation must be maintained throughout the entire operational life of the energy storage system.

The assessment also includes measures to control disturbances during construction, such as regular watering of access roads to prevent dust dispersion and proper management of generated waste.

The project must also respect adjacent agricultural plots, requiring the adaptation of the perimeter fencing to avoid any impact on these lands.

Regarding cultural heritage, an archaeological monitoring protocol is established during earthworks to detect any potential remains that may surface during the execution of the works.

The environmental assessment also notes that the facility does not have direct impacts on areas within the Natura 2000 network and considers that its location within an existing photovoltaic enclosure reduces the likelihood of generating new cumulative effects on fauna and vegetation.

Special measures in the event of possible battery fires

One of the aspects considered in the environmental conditions is the prevention of risks associated with the operation of the storage systems.

The promoting company must adopt measures to prevent a possible fire or incident in the containers from causing soil or water pollution.

Among the planned actions is the installation of watertight containment systems to collect water that may be used in firefighting, preventing its infiltration into the ground or its reach to the aquifers.

These measures are part of the environmental obligations that must be incorporated into the construction and operation of the infrastructure.

A project that began its public processing in 2025

The BESS energy storage facility El Carrascal had already been subject to public consultation during 2025. In October of that year, the application for prior administrative authorization to incorporate batteries into the existing photovoltaic plant was made public.

The documentation at that time provided for the system to be connected to the same evacuation point used by the solar installation, featuring underground electrical infrastructure and a connection to the distribution grid.

The publication of the environmental impact report now marks a new step forward from that initial phase, by establishing the conditions under which the project can proceed with its administrative processing.

The environmental report is valid for four years

The environmental clearance is valid for four years, in accordance with the conditions set out in the resolution. During this period, the project must continue the necessary administrative procedures for its execution.

The favorable environmental assessment does not mean that construction can begin automatically, as the facility remains subject to the corresponding authorizations and technical requirements.

With this new procedural step, the El Carrascal energy storage proposal moves closer to its potential integration into the existing photovoltaic infrastructure in Medina del Campo, although no date has yet been confirmed for the start of works or for its operational launch.