Ford unveils 2.2-MW solar extension project at Spanish factory

US automotive group Ford Motor Co (NYSE:F) plans to expand the solar park powering its manufacturing facilities in Valencia, Spain, to 5 MW as part of its efforts to become carbon neutral across its European operations by 2035.

The auto major will install a 2.2-MW photovoltaic (PV) plant as an extension to a 2.8-MW park that is already supplying its Almussafes vehicle manufacturing facility. The project will be carried out under a wider plan that envisages close to 10 MW of solar PV capacity to become operational by 2024 at the site, Ford said on Tuesday.

Currently, the solar farm generates roughly 4,640 MWh of electricity annually. For the expansion, Ford will use non-productive land areas and add more capacity to produce a further 3,760 MWh per year.

The Almussafes factory has been running on renewable electricity only since the start of 2022. Ford is also studying the potential for installing PV arrays atop factory buildings.

The carmaker is targeting 100% carbon-free electricity use globally by 2035. Its European factories are already supplied solely with renewables-sourced power.

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