en.Wedoany.com Reported - Independent energy storage solutions provider Return has signed a ten-year agreement with Engie to develop three battery energy storage projects in the Basque Country, with a total installed capacity of 55 MW and a total capacity of 220 MWh. The transaction is structured under a full tolling model, where Return owns the three BESS systems, responsible for their development and operation, while Engie optimizes their flexible capacity in the wholesale market and ancillary services market of the Spanish electricity system. Commercial operations are expected to begin by the end of 2027.
The two companies noted that this agreement is a milestone for the Spanish flexibility market, demonstrating that long-term commercial contracts can facilitate new investments by providing revenue visibility for asset owners, while securing flexible storage capacity for electricity market participants. Under the agreement, Return has secured a stable long-term revenue stream, aiding the financing of new projects; Engie, in turn, has incorporated flexible storage capacity into its energy management portfolio to support its goal of providing carbon-free energy solutions to customers.
Construction of the three facilities has commenced, and once operational, they will provide flexibility services to the electricity system and contribute to supply-demand balance in the Spanish market. Return stated that its project pipeline under development exceeds 8 GW, with approximately 5 GW expected to be operational by 2030.
In other news, MasPV has formally signed Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) to develop the Estanzuela project—a photovoltaic power plant with storage, which the company describes as the largest of its kind in Central America. These 15-year contracts were signed with two major electricity distributors in Guatemala: Empresa Eléctrica de Guatemala (EEGSA) and Distribuidora de Electricidad de Oriente (Deorsa).
The company has also deposited a bank guarantee of $2.5 million, completing the contract phase following the project award. Located in the department of Zacapa, the facility has a photovoltaic installed capacity of 130 MWp and a energy storage system of 100 MWh, with an estimated investment exceeding $100 million, and is expected to be operational by 2029. MasPV develops energy projects in ten countries, with operations spanning Spain, China, and several Latin American markets, including Panama, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic.
