micampus-pv-systems-and-plants-for-self-consumption

Spanish student residences shine bright thanks to renewable energy

Working with Endesa X, dorm operator micampus adopted a PV system that cuts CO₂ emissions and reduces operating expenses

Spain

micampus

Education

micampus, Spain's second largest student residence operator, has teamed up with Endesa X to boost its sustainability efforts through the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) plants for self-consumption at 13 of its campuses in the Iberian Peninsula. All together the new PV systems will have an installed capacity of 1.1 MW, generated by 2,100 PV modules. The infrastructure will allow for an annual self-consumption of some 1,119 MWh, reducing the company’s CO₂ emissions by 280 tons per year, a figure equivalent to the annual absorption capacity of some 1,679 trees.

The client

micampus is one of the largest players in the Spanish student residence market. The company has a total of almost 6,000 beds under management, spread among 28 residences, and is developing an additional 15 buildings that will add a further 2,500 beds to its portfolio over the next two years. One of the oldest student residence management companies in Europe, with over 20 years of operational experience, micampus is present in 16 provinces in Spain - including in the capital, Madrid, as well as in Barcelona, Oviedo, Pamplona and Santander - and offers students modern facilities in the most sought-after locations. Since 2021, micampus has been firmly committed to sustainable development and has taken measures to decarbonize its activities and compensate and neutralize its emissions of greenhouse gases.

The agreement's benefits

1.1

MW project’s installed capacity

1,119

MWh annual self-consumption

280

tons of CO₂ avoided yearly

Enel X's challenge

For micampus, the shift towards renewables was driven partly by its desire to cut harmful CO₂ emissions and use energy resources more efficiently and cost-effectively. Another key objective for the student residences operator was to position itself as a reference point in terms of promoting sustainable practices that are respectful of the environment. Both of these goals were enabled when the company teamed up with Endesa X for a renewable solar photovoltaic (PV) solution based on 13 PV installations that produce enough energy for self-consumption.

Overall, the project has an installed capacity of 1.1 MW, generated by more than 2,100 PV modules distributed among micampus-managed locations. Going solar will permit micampus to make significant progress towards its sustainability goals. In this sense, the micampus-managed Getafe residence in Madrid distinguishes itself: composed of 68 student apartments, there are more than 90 solar panels on the roof of the building, which is centrally located less than one kilometer from the Carlos III University. Furthermore, the project has involved the integration of the solar PV systems into the building management systems (BMS) that allow controlling and automating the buildings' various installations and mechanisms, such as air conditioning, lighting, public address systems and elevators.

The new Endesa X-powered solution will allow micampus to generate some 1,119 MWh of self-produced power each year, helping the company reduce operating expenses and increase energy efficiency, all while keeping some 280 tons of Carbon Dioxide from leaking into the atmosphere, a value equivalent to the amount of CO₂ absorbed annually by 1,679 trees. Also, the centralized control systems enabled by the building management systems (BMS) integrated into the solution allow for more efficient use of resources - human, energy and economic.