The solar installation will cover about two million square feet of roof at the Zaragoza plant and will comprise of about 85,000 solar panels when the project is completed in fall 2008.
The company claims that, when fully operational, the Zaragoza solar installation will generate about 12MW of power at its highest output. The installation will generate about 15.1 million kWh of power annually, which is equivalent to the demand of 4,575 households with an average annual consumption of 3,300kWh in Spain.
General Motors (GM) said that it currently has two of the largest solar power installations in the US on the roofs at its Rancho Cucamonga and Fontana parts warehouses in California.
On the Zaragoza project, GM has partnered with Clairvoyant Energy, Veolia Environmental and the government of Aragon to develop the renewable energy project.
Gary Cowger, group vice president of global manufacturing and labor relations at GM, said: The Zaragoza project demonstrates proof that GM is actively accelerating our efforts to be part of the solution to the environmental issues and challenges facing our world.