Zelestra expands clean energy partnership with Graphic Packaging International to add further renewable electricity generation capacity to the European grid

Zelestra, a global, multi-technology, customer-focused renewable energy company, has expanded its clean energy partnership with Graphic Packaging, a global leader in sustainable consumer packaging.

An additional long-term virtual Power Purchase Agreement (vPPA) will enable the immediate construction of the 19 MWdc Villamañán solar plant in León, Spain, which means the partnership is delivering over 100 MWdc of new solar power in total, equivalent to the consumption of more than 52,000 households.

The additional vPPA will generate 28,700 MWh of clean energy a year, with the Villamañán plant expected to be operational in Q1 2026. The full project will avoid over 4,900 tons of CO2 emissions annually[1].

This agreement follows an initial vPPA signed in August 2024 that enabled the construction of the José Cabrera (Guadalajara) and Socovos II (Albacete) solar plants, with a combined capacity of 83 MWdc. Both projects are in advanced construction, with full operation anticipated by the end of 2025. Once Villamañan starts producing green electricity, the approximate 70 MWdc capacity contracted by Graphic Packaging from the initial two projects will be redistributed across this third project as well.

Luis Alvargonzalez, Zelestra’s country manager in Spain, said: “Thanks to Graphic Packaging’s commitment, more than 100 MW of carbon-free solar power will soon come into operation in Spain. Importantly, this means over 25,000 tons of CO2 emissions will be avoided annually, so we are focused on delivering these projects on time to unlock all their benefits. We are proud to expand our relationship with a forward-thinking company like Graphic Packaging and continue co-creating solutions that will help to achieve their decarbonization goals.”

Jean-François Roche, SVP & chief commercial officer at Graphic Packaging, said, “Supporting Zelestra on the construction of the Villamañán plant will add more green electricity to the European grid. Having a third vPPA in the portfolio makes our supply more resilient by redistributing the original contracted Guarantees of Origin across three plants versus the original two and could support future growth. The signed vPPAs enable us to meet our Scope 1 and 2 decarbonization targets and reduce the carbon footprint of our packaging solutions, helping our customers meet their Scope 3 GHG reduction targets.”

Zelestra has a project portfolio of more than 6 GW in Spain, which includes over 800 MW of projects contracted, in construction, or operational. The company was recently named among the top 10 sellers of clean energy to corporate customers globally by BloombergNEF (BNEF), and number 2 in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.