New Structures for PV Plants

In keeping with its pledge to combat climate change, the Iberdrola group is backing renewable energy as the way to drive the energy transition and the much-needed decarbonization and electrification of the economy. The group plans to invest €150bn by 2030, raising its renewable capacity to 95 GW by the end of the decade.

In recent years, the price of steel and other supplies has been rising, affecting the profitability of photovoltaic plants. In this context, Iberdrola, through its International Startup Program PERSEO, is searching for new, innovative structures for photovoltaic plants to optimize costs, either by manufacturing with steel alternatives or with a lower ratio of steel per MW built than that of conventional structures.

Iberdrola is no stranger to working with startups and emerging companies - over the last two years, the Group has launched over 14 Startup Challenges. Solar photovoltaic generation is one of Iberdrola's main pillars of growth, resulting in the installation in 2021 of 1.200 MW of new solar capacity.

This pushes the contribution towards achieving nearly 35 GW of renewable installed capacity worldwide. Iberdrola also has the largest operational photovoltaic plant in Europe - Núñez de Balboa (Badajoz), with 500 Mwp. It is currently building the Francisco Pizarro plant in Cáceres that will have a capacity of 590 MWp.

Moreover, working with Iberdrola presents a unique opportunity:

Winning this Challenge will award you with signing a collaboration agreement for the development of a Proof-of-Concept (PoC). The PoC will be developed in collaboration with the technical specialists from Iberdrola Generation.

Additionally, PERSEO covers the costs of the pilot activities and provides you with the necessary technical support, giving access to infrastructures and real data to test your solution.

In addition, PERSEO may consider investing in your solution!

The proposals will be classified into three categories, for which Iberdrola will establish a base case to standardize the evaluation of the proposals:

• Category A: New designs of fixed structures for photovoltaic plants that entail alternative layouts or models, with either new or conventional materials. Participants are asked to define a layout, a single-row, and a cost (€/KWp) for the ideal layout.

• Category B: New materials used in conventional fixed structures for photovoltaic plants, maintaining the current bar structure concept with a 3v10 configuration. Participants in the challenge are asked to define a cost (€/kWp).

• Category C: New designs of structures with trackers for photovoltaic plants proposing alternative layouts or models, with either new or conventional materials. Participants in the challenge are asked to define a cost (€/kWp).

The base case study is an ideal square or rectangular, compact floor plan, the specifications of which can be accessed through this link.

However, the challenge is open to all proposals, so, if the proposal does not fit this case study, it will also be analyzed, provided the competitive advantages of the proposal for a specific type of site are explained.

Iberdrola is no stranger to working with startups and emerging companies - over the last two years, the Group has launched over 14 Startup Challenges. Solar photovoltaic generation is one of Iberdrola's main pillars of growth, resulting in the installation in 2021 of 1.200 MW of new solar capacity. Moreover, working with Iberdrola presents a unique opportunity. Your benefits include:

• Collaboration Agreement & Pilot Test: The prize for the winner consists of collaboration and test agreement with PERSEO or any other Iberdrola group company. The group will support the cost of the pilot activities.

• Access-all-Areas: Iberdrola will provide the winner with all necessary technical support, as well as a site and real data to test the solution. This includes access to equipment, teams, infrastructure, high technology sites, and shared work areas.

• Scale Your Technology: If the pilot test is satisfactory, Iberdrola may offer the winner the opportunity to scale up the solution by adapting it through commercial agreements.

• Investment: What's more, PERSEO will consider investing in the participating company and/or the winner of the challenge.

The winner of the challenge will sign a partnership contract with Iberdrola and/or PERSEO and will be able to test their solution in a real environment.

For the collaboration of the pilot project, Iberdrola will:

• assume the costs of the collaboration and the proof of concept
• provide the necessary technical support to test the solution proposed
• give access to equipment, appliances, infrastructure, high technology sites, and joint work areas
• provide a real environment and real data to test the solution

The pilot project will be developed in collaboration with the technical specialists from Iberdrola Renewables.

You are welcome to submit more than one proposal, just make sure to submit a separate application form for each.

The application period for this challenge ends on 8 April 2022.

All proposals will be analyzed by experts from the Iberdrola Renewables team.
The following value propositions will be considered, among others:

• Maturity and reliability of the solution
• Ease of installation and operation
• Cost of investment and operation
• Scalability of the solution for this and other applications in the electricity sector including power generation and transportation networks
• Structures that optimize the installation process in terms of time or costs
• Structures produced using manufacturing methods that reduce process-related emissions and use fewer materials

The team of experts from the Iberdrola Renewables area will be responsible for selecting innovative solutions or solutions that are not subject to fluctuating steel prices and improve the profitability of its investments.