Villanueva: A Digital Construction Site

It will be the largest photovoltaic plant in Latin America and one of the biggest worldwide, as well as the first digital worksite. We’re talking about Villanueva, a 754-MW plant Enel Green Power is building in Mexico, in Viesca, in the State of Coahuila, where we are testing the most innovative technologies for planning and execution. The plant, which will be completed in the second half of 2018, included an investment of about 650 million US dollars through the company’s funds, as announced by the Group’s Strategic Plan. Here, Enel Green Power is testing a new kind of design applied to a 10-MWdc portion of the plant on about 20 hectares, the equivalent of 40 football pitches, which calls for the use of GPS-controlled machines for moving the earth. To understand the scope and returns of this revolution, just think that these technologies have already allowed us to double productivity and cut the fuel we need by 30%. "The automatic placement of cables has allowed us to increase productivity up to ten times." Returns in terms of economics and efficiency that make Villanueva a reference point for innovation as well. A Piece of the E&C (R)evolution Project All of these initiatives are part of Enel Green Power’s E&C (R)evolution project, which aims to revolutionise the entire construction world with the adoption of all the industry 4.0’s latest findings: three-dimensional and digital modelling that integrates times, costs, resources; the use of drones to carry out 3D topography and monitoring and even robots for the automatic installation of panels. And those are just some examples. Thanks to these innovative technologies, the construction of the plant is proceeding full speed ahead. The new solar park will contribute to the development of the Mexican energy sector with the clean energy generated by Villanueva, and from the various solar and wind projects that we have running for a total of 530 MW, and will also be a concrete example of automation and digitisation. "Another step toward a future able to ensure greater productivity in the installation phase; reduce risks and construction times of our solar worksites, also improving standards of quality, health, safety and sustainability. " The new Villanueva plant will also consolidate our presence in a country that has become increasingly strategic for the entire Group. We currently manage 728 MW of renewable capacity in Mexico, including 675 MW from wind and 53 MW from hydropower. Enel Green Power Mexico has also recently started construction on the Amistad (200 MW) wind farm, also in the State of Cohauila. The company is also getting ready to start construction on the Don José solar plant, in the State of Guanajuato, and of the Salitrillos (93 MW) wind farm in the State of Tamaulipas. A Careful Eye on Sustainability Villaneva is also one of Enel’s key projects for the application of the Sustainable Worksite model. "Since the very first phase of the project, utmost attention has been paid to minimising environmental impacts, controlling key factors like energy use, waste recycling and water consumption." Both teams working at the site and entrepreneurs from other companies involved have been trained to apply the Sustainable Worksite model to their daily work.

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Villanueva: A Digital Construction Site

Villanueva: A Digital Construction Site