Harnessing the sun to power cold storage in Spain

Across Spain’s diverse landscapes – from Navarra’s plains to Murcia’s agricultural regions – two Lineage facilities now operate with newly installed solar technology. The photovoltaic systems at Milagro and Las Torres de Cotillas converting sunlight into electricity that powers refrigeration systems maintaining precise temperatures for stored products. These installations demonstrate how established cold storage operations can integrate renewable energy infrastructure to address both operational efficiency and environmental considerations.

Over the past months, we’ve been working with renewable energy specialists GreenYellow and Grupo Enhol to install solar panels at our facilities in:

The numbers tell the story: with a combined capacity of 7 MWp, these systems are expected to generate about 9.1 gigawatt-hours of electricity each year. That translates to approximately 1,500 tonnes less CO₂ annually – real, measurable impact.

You might wonder how solar panels on our roofs affect your cold chain services. The answer lies in operational efficiency and reliability.

By generating our own electricity, we’re:

  • Reducing dependency on external power sources
  • Building more resilient facilities
  • Meeting evolving European regulatory requirements

This project wouldn’t have been possible without the right expertise. We partnered with GreenYellow, who brought their knowledge of decentralized energy systems, and Grupo Enhol, who contributed their experience in renewable infrastructure.

“These solar installations represent more than just panels on our roofs,” says Raul Fores, Regional Vice President at Lineage. “They’re a tangible demonstration of our commitment to operational excellence and responsible business practices. By reducing our energy dependency and emissions simultaneously, we’re building a stronger, more resilient network for our customers across Spain and beyond.”

These three installations represent important progress in our emission reduction efforts. The additional 7 MWp of solar capacity now operational across our Spanish facilities demonstrates what can be achieved when operational needs, regulatory requirements and technical solutions align. We continue to evaluate opportunities for renewable energy integration across our network as part of our ongoing operations.

Source: https://www.onelineage.com/news-stories/harnessing-sun-power-cold-storage-spain