The project required major capital investments. None of it would have been possible without Spanish government subsidies. The idea was simple: bring in light photovoltaic cells so thin they could be rolled up, by boat, an energy-efficient form of transport. Once in Saragossa, the cells were hauled to the roof, unrolled, attached using Velcro strips. As simple as that. Or almost. A few service cables, 20 inverters, 20 transformers and power could be sent to the grid to supply the towns of Castilla and Aragon.
For General Motors, the initiative is mostly symbolic, even though the automaker earns rent for supplying an inactive asset, its roof. Its main interest is in highlighting its efforts to protect the planet.
The operator, Veolia, has more at stake. Beyond its revenues from the Spanish power grid, Veolia is betting on the future. Significant economies of scale and a good market are required for a solar plant to be profitable. This one seems to be.
As soon as the Saragossa site was complete, a number of customers with available plant surfaces contacted Veolia, to study the project's feasibility. That's a step in the right direction because, according to Christine Hanon, Saragossa project director, "Fossil fuel prices could exceed the price of solar power in France by 2015."
The project began in 2007. Energy prices were already exploding and everyone felt responsible for climate change. A different vision of the future was emerging, leaving fossil fuels far behind.
It was in this climate of change that Veolia Environnement, General Motors Europe, the developer Clairvoyant Energy and the Autonomous Government of Aragon signed a joint agreement to build a photovoltaic solar plant on the rooftop of the General Motor plant.
