Key data
| Regulation | Resolution of July 16, 2026, from the General Directorate of Quality and Environmental Assessment, modifying the conditions of the EIA of Azor Solar and Avutarda Solar parks |
|---|---|
| BOE Publication | August 7, 2026 |
| Entry into force | August 7, 2026 |
| Affected promoters | Azor Solar SLU and Avutarda Solar SLU |
| Location | Paracuellos de Jarama and Ajalvir (Madrid) |
| Total capacity | 325 MWp (162.5 MWp per park) |
| Category | Energy / Environmental assessment |
| Legal basis | Article 44.1.b of Law 21/2013 on environmental assessment |
| BOE Reference | BOE-A-2026-17270 |
The solar parks Azor Solar (162.5 MWp) and Avutarda Solar (162.5 MWp), located in Paracuellos de Jarama and Ajalvir (Madrid), have had since August 7, 2026 an environmental impact assessment (EIA) with modified conditions. The Resolution of July 16, 2026 from the General Directorate of Quality and Environmental Assessment (DGCEA) flexibilizes a key technical restriction: the prohibition of installing on slopes greater than 10%.
The legal basis is article 44.1.b of Law 21/2013 on environmental assessment, which allows reviewing conditions of an EIA when the best available techniques guarantee equal or greater environmental protection than the original condition. In this case, the evolution of direct driving systems eliminates the need to move earth to level the terrain, which in turn reduces the impact on the soil.
What does this regulation establish?
The modification of the EIA introduces one concrete change and another maintaining previous conditions:
| Aspect | Previous condition | Modified condition (from 7/8/2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Installation on slopes >10% | Not permitted (required prior topographic leveling) | Permitted as long as no prior topographic leveling is required, thanks to direct driving |
| Vegetation cover on slopes >10% | Protected | Protection is maintained: obligation to preserve vegetation cover in these areas |
| Gullies with hydrological risk | Excluded | Exclusion of gullies with hydrological risk is maintained |
| Monitoring of erosive phenomena | Required | Continuous monitoring of erosive phenomena is maintained |
The Tajo River Basin Authority and the Community of Madrid have endorsed the change by not detecting new significant impacts on public hydraulic domain or the environment in general.
Economic and operational impact
For promoters, this modification has a direct impact on construction schedule and costs:
- Elimination of earthworks in sloped areas: direct driving avoids excavations and fills, reducing civil works costs and execution time in affected plots.
- Expansion of installable surface: areas with slopes greater than 10% that were previously excluded from the design can now be incorporated into the park layout, potentially increasing usable surface and generation.
- Lower risk of stoppage due to environmental non-compliance: by adapting the EIA to the techniques actually employed, exposure to administrative requirements during construction is reduced.
- Obligations that remain unchanged: vegetation cover on slopes >10%, exclusion of gullies with hydrological risk, and continuous erosion monitoring. Non-compliance with these conditions remains grounds for administrative intervention.
Who does it affect?
- Azor Solar SLU: promoter of Azor Solar park (162.5 MWp, Paracuellos de Jarama and Ajalvir, Madrid). Directly affected by the modification of its EIA.
- Avutarda Solar SLU: promoter of Avutarda Solar park (162.5 MWp, Paracuellos de Jarama and Ajalvir, Madrid). Directly affected by the modification of its EIA.
- Environmental administrations in Madrid: Community of Madrid and Tajo River Basin Authority, which have participated in the evaluation and must monitor the maintained conditions.
- Contractors and engineering companies: work executors must adapt their construction procedures to the new permitted conditions and the restrictions that remain.
Practical example
Suppose that in the original design of Azor Solar park (162.5 MWp) there was an area of 15 hectares with an average slope of 12% that had been excluded from the layout because the original EIA did not allow installation on slopes greater than 10% without prior leveling.
With the new EIA condition, promoter Azor Solar SLU can incorporate that area into the project using direct driving systems (which do not require moving earth to level). This means:
- Avoiding the costs of topographic leveling in those 15 hectares.
- Maintaining the existing vegetation cover in the area (condition that is preserved).
- Excluding from the design any gullies with hydrological risk within that area (condition that is preserved).
- Incorporating monitoring of erosive phenomena into the park's environmental monitoring plan (condition that is preserved).
The result is greater usable surface and savings in civil works, without needing to process a new complete EIA, thanks to the procedure in article 44.1.b of Law 21/2013.
What should companies do now?
- Review the park layout: identify all areas with slopes greater than 10% that were excluded from the original design and evaluate if they can be incorporated with direct driving systems.
- Verify that no leveling is required: the enabling condition is that installation on slopes >10% does not require prior topographic leveling. Document this technically for each incorporated area.
- Update the environmental monitoring plan: include continuous monitoring of erosive phenomena in the newly incorporated areas, as required by the modified EIA.
- Respect the exclusions that remain: do not install in gullies with hydrological risk and preserve vegetation cover in areas with slopes >10%. These conditions have not changed.
- Coordinate with the Tajo River Basin Authority and the Community of Madrid: both administrations participate in monitoring. Maintain active communication to avoid requirements during construction.
- Preserve documentation of the modification: the Resolution of July 16, 2026 (BOE-A-2026-17270) is the legal backing for any inspection or environmental audit.
Frequently asked questions
What specific condition changes in the EIA of Azor Solar and Avutarda Solar?
The modification allows installing support structures on land with slopes greater than 10% without the need for prior topographic leveling. Previously, this possibility was prohibited. The change is possible thanks to the technical evolution of direct driving systems, which do not require moving earth to adapt the foundation to the terrain.
What environmental conditions remain unchanged after the modification?
Three conditions are maintained: (1) obligation to preserve vegetation cover in areas with slopes greater than 10%; (2) exclusion of gullies with hydrological risk; and (3) continuous monitoring of erosive phenomena. None of these three conditions have been modified.
What legal basis supports this EIA modification?
Article 44.1.b of Law 21/2013 on environmental assessment, which allows modifying conditions of an environmental impact assessment when the best available techniques guarantee equal or greater environmental protection than the original condition. In this case, direct driving eliminates the need for leveling and reduces the impact on soil.
What administrations have endorsed the change?
The Tajo River Basin Authority and the Community of Madrid have evaluated the modification and have not detected new significant impacts, so they have approved the change in conditions.
When does the EIA modification become effective?
The modification is effective from August 7, 2026, the date of publication of the Resolution in the BOE (reference BOE-A-2026-17270). There is no transition period: the new condition is applicable from that same date.
Official source
Consult complete regulation in official source (BOE-A-2026-17270)
Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-17270