Orihuela, Alicante — The Orihuela City Council has awarded a contract worth €18,150 to Estudios y Proyectos Fraloir to design a project for the installation of photovoltaic solar panels on 14 municipal buildings. The initiative is part of the city’s Sustainable Tourism Plan (PSTD) and marks a major step toward a cleaner, more efficient energy model.
“This is a necessary first step to provide renewable energy to several municipal buildings,” said Gonzalo Montoya, the city’s Tourism Councillor.
Cutting Energy Consumption
The project aims to reduce electricity consumption, decrease reliance on conventional energy sources, and lower greenhouse gas emissions. “These installations will generate significant savings on electricity costs while promoting a cleaner, more responsible energy model for our city,” Montoya added.
Buildings Included
The 14 municipal buildings slated for solar panels include:
- The auditorium
- San Bartolomé Civic Center
- Municipal nurseries in La Murada and Orihuela Costa
- Alameda del Mar Civic Center
- Costa Orihuela Civil Protection Center
- Orihuela Costa Sports Hall
- Municipal offices in La Murada, Molins, Torremendo, Hurchillo, La Aparecida, La Campaneta, and San Bartolomé
Montoya emphasized that investing in renewable energy benefits the city directly and supports Orihuela’s commitment to sustainable tourism that protects the environment and improves quality of life.
See also: Orihuela to instal solar panels on municipal buildings
Proven Savings
The City Council reported in June that previous solar panel installations had already saved more than €29,000 in less than a year. The Police Local building, which received a 34 kWp solar installation last May, cut electricity costs from €31,741 to €19,471, a saving of €12,269. The total investment of €24,784 was partially funded (€18,000) by the Alicante Provincial Government, reducing the municipality’s direct cost to €6,784.
Similarly, the Palacio del Agua building, fitted with 82 kWp of solar panels in March, achieved savings of €17,397 in just the first two months of operation, reducing electricity expenses from €29,879 to €12,482.
Other buildings, including the Edificio del Poeta, already have solar installations, and these new 14 projects will expand Orihuela’s energy transition strategy, further reducing municipal energy costs and emissions.
