The landscape of the Strait of Gibraltar is about to develop into a more complex engine of the energy transition. EDP, the Portuguese energy giant, is expanding its strategy of hibridación solar-eólica en Tarifa, committing nearly €6 million to integrate a large-scale photovoltaic installation into the existing Tahivilla wind farm.
This move, executed through its subsidiary EDP Renovables España, seeks to optimize the land and electrical infrastructure already in place. By adding 10 megawatts (MW) of solar capacity to the current 30 MW wind installation, the company is betting on a “hybrid” model that allows for a more stable and diversified energy output, reducing the reliance on a single weather variable.
The project represents a calculated expansion in one of Spain’s most wind-rich corridors. The investment of €5.8 million will fund the deployment of 16,768 photovoltaic modules surrounding the wind farm, located in the municipality of Tarifa, specifically south of the Tahivilla district. According to technical documentation developed by the engineering firm Ayesa, the installation is designed for a productive lifespan of 35 years.
From a technical standpoint, the plant is expected to generate 16,915 megawatt-hours (MWh) annually, with approximately 1,552 hours of generation per year. To integrate this new power source, EDP will utilize the existing Tahivilla substation, though the upgrade requires the construction of a new prefabricated building to expand the capacity of the current power cable connections.
A Parallel Overhaul: The Wind Repowering Project
Even as the solar addition captures the headlines, a far more ambitious structural transformation is happening simultaneously. EDP is currently managing the “repowering” of the Tahivilla wind farm—a process of replacing aging turbines with fewer, more powerful units to maintain efficiency while reducing the physical footprint of the installation.
This repowering effort involves a significantly larger investment of €33.7 million. The plan, which was submitted for public review in 2025, involves the installation of five state-of-the-art aerogenerators manufactured by GE Vernova. Each of these new units will boast a unit capacity of 6.1 MW, ensuring that the farm maintains its overall 30 MW capacity but with vastly improved technology and a hub height of 120.9 meters.
The cost of the turbines alone is estimated at €15 million, accounting for nearly half of the total repowering budget. The logistical challenge is considerable: the project involves dismantling a century of older, smaller turbines over an 11-month period, with the new GE Vernova units being deployed midway through the timeline.
| Feature | Solar Hybridization | Wind Repowering |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | €5.8 Million | €33.7 Million |
| Capacity Change | +10 MW (Added) | 30 MW (Maintained) |
| Key Hardware | 16,768 PV Modules | 5 GE Vernova Turbines |
| Primary Goal | Diversification | Technological Efficiency |
The Strategic Logic of Hybridization
The shift toward hybrid plants is not an isolated experiment in Tarifa but a cornerstone of EDP’s broader Iberian strategy. By combining wind and solar on a single site, the company can maximize the use of “evacuation lines”—the expensive electrical infrastructure used to send power to the grid. This approach avoids the environmental and financial costs of building entirely new substations and transmission lines for every new project.
The Tahivilla project follows the precedent set by the Cruz de Hierro plant in Ávila, which became the first of its kind in Spain to operate under these hybrid characteristics in 2024. Currently, EDP operates five hybrid solar-wind parks across Spain, totaling 229.55 MW of hybridized capacity. These include sites in Segovia (Villacastín), Cuenca (Castillo de Garcimuñoz and Las Lomillas) and Zaragoza (Rabosera).
In Portugal, the company has taken this a step further, integrating hydroelectric power and battery storage into its hybrid hubs to create a more resilient energy ecosystem. The expansion into Andalusia marks the first time this specific hybrid model is being applied in the region, positioning Tarifa as a critical node in the Spanish renewable network.
Navigating the Local Landscape
We see important to distinguish between the various operators in the region. While EDP’s Tahivilla plant is undergoing these upgrades, another installation with the same name is operated by Acciona Energía. Though they share a geographic designation, the two are entirely independent. Acciona Energía completed its own repowering process in early 2026, installing 13 new aerogenerators at its respective site.
For EDP, the current priority remains the bureaucratic resolution from the Consejería de Industria, Energía y Minas of the Junta de Andalucía. The company has indicated that the administrative process for the repowering is moving forward, pending the final construction authorizations.
As Spain pushes toward its 2030 climate targets, the integration of multiple renewable sources on a single plot of land is becoming the industry standard. The Tahivilla project serves as a blueprint for how aging wind farms can be revitalized not just by replacing turbines, but by evolving into multi-source energy hubs.
The next critical milestone for the project will be the official resolution from the Andalusian government regarding the administrative authorization for construction, which will trigger the 11-month work plan for the wind turbines and the deployment of the solar array.
Do you think hybrid energy plants are the most sustainable way to grow our power grid, or should we focus on entirely new sites? Share your thoughts in the comments.
