Five Endesa solar plants in Extremadura become the first in Europe to achieve the prestigious Envision certification

Ecology and environmental protection, quality of life, and leadership in collaboration and community development: These are the main attributes that have earned Endesa’s solar plants in the Brovales cluster in Extremadura the Envision certification. This milestone makes them the first renewable energy facilities in Europe to receive this prestigious international recognition.

The Envision certification, designed by the Harvard University Graduate School of Design (Zofnass Programme for Sustainable Infrastructure) and the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) —a nonprofit research and educational organisation— is one of the world’s leading sustainability rating systems. It serves as a benchmark and guiding framework for evaluating the sustainability of a project.

This independent assessment tool measures both the individual performance of a project and its long-term contribution to efficiency and sustainability within local communities. The system evaluates the entire lifecycle of a project, from the planning stage through construction and commissioning.

In this context, Endesa’s Brovales cluster has been awarded the Silver certification, becoming the first renewable plant in Europe to achieve this distinction thanks to the wide range of measures implemented across its five photovoltaic facilities. These include the Apicio, Beturia, Ardila, Cincinato, and Nertóbriga solar plants, located in Fregenal de la Sierra (Badajoz) and operational since 2022.

Enel Green Power Spain —Endesa’s renewable subsidiary— has received the highest rating from the Envision system. This distinction recognises the subsidiary’s efforts to protect the environment from the project’s initial phase, particularly by conserving natural habitats and minimising the impact on local flora and fauna. To ensure the effectiveness of these measures, the plants were equipped with special monitoring plans.

The certification also recognised the positive social impact on the local community, especially through the promotion of training programmes to boost employment in the renewable energy sector in the region where the projects were developed. Furthermore, the facilities were designed with collaboration in mind, enabling farmers and shepherds to continue their activities among the solar panels —one of the highest-rated aspects of the certification.

Another key element highlighted was the preservation of cultural heritage, with protective measures taken for archaeological remains discovered in the area, which were safeguarded and transferred to the Archaeological Museum of Badajoz.

Finally, the certification emphasised as a distinguishing factor the active listening process with the local community, which began in the very early stages of the project. This participatory approach involved all stakeholders in the area to ensure that the facilities were seamlessly integrated into the local environment.

About Endesa

Endesa is the leading electricity company in Spain and the second largest in Portugal. It is also the second largest gas operator in the Spanish market. Endesa operates an integrated business model spanning electricity generation, distribution, and supply. Furthermore, the company offers value-added services focused on the electrification of energy use for households, businesses, and public administrations. Endesa is committed to the United Nations’ SDGs and corporate social responsibility. In the latter area, it also operates through the Endesa Foundation. Our team comprises around 9,000 employees. Endesa is part of Enel, a multinational electricity company and an integrated leading player in global energy and renewables markets ^[1]. 

^[1] Enel's leadership in the various categories is defined by comparison with the financial data of its counterparts in the year 2024. Reference perimeter: publicly traded companies without majority state ownership.