Lightsource bp, a British solar energy company, is gearing up to build a massive 560-megawatt solar park in central Greece. This €395 million project will be financed through loans from the European Union’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan Greece 2.0 and from Eurobank, according to Balkan Green Energy News.
Lightsource bp is on track to develop Europe’s second-largest solar park in Enipeas, Greece. Expected for completion in 2026, the 560-megawatt project will be surpassed only by the recently crowned leader, the 605 MW Witznitz solar farm in eastern Germany. Notably, Enipeas represents Lightsource bp’s largest photovoltaic investment to date, adding to their impressive portfolio of over 8.4 GW of solar projects across 19 markets globally.
The reigning solar giant in their coverage region is Kalyon Energy’s impressive solar plant in Turkey’s Konya province. Opened in 2023, the Karapınar plant boasts a peak capacity of 1.35 GW, translating to 1 GW in terms of grid connection.
Acquired by Lightsource bp (50% owned by oil and gas giant bp) in March 2023, the Enipeas project has undergone some adjustments. The initial nameplate capacity has been scaled down from 700 MW to 560 MW, and the connection capacity from 630 MW to 504 MW.
Upon completion, the Enipeas solar park is projected to be a powerhouse, generating a staggering 0.9 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity annually. This translates to powering roughly 225,000 households and contributing nearly 2% to Greece’s domestic electricity production. Additionally, the park is expected to be a champion for the environment, preventing an estimated 379,000 tons of CO2 emissions each year.