Spain is ranked second in Europe in terms of installed wind power capacity, ranked only behind Germany. The Spanish are also fifth in the world, behind China, US, Germany, and India highlighting the importance of wind-powered energy to the country. Not only does wind energy provide an alternative energy supply, but the wind sector also employs over 27,000 people and contributes €3106.4m to the Spanish GDP. The annual report in 2021 by the Spanish Wind Association (AEE) showed that wind accounts for 23% of the country’s total electricity production, with energy coming from over 1,260 wind farms. Overall, the Spanish renewables sector grew 10%, accounting for 46% of all electricity production. A further wind milestone was achieved, with Spanish wind reaching 20GW of instantaneous generation for the first time ever. Whilst this report outlined promising results for the wind sector, it is clear further growth is required to achieve the PNIEC objective to reduce greenhouse emissions by 26% by the year 2030.
1) Enel Green Power (Italy)
The Italian renewables developer has a vast portfolio of projects, ranging from solar to biomass, hydro, and wind. Enel Green Power have a project pipeline of 22GW in Europe, with 2.8GW coming from Spanish wind. In the last 3 years, the Italian group have developed 19 wind farms in Aragon and have connected these projects to the national grid. The projects located in Teruel and Zaragoza have a total installed capacity of 685MW. The Spanish arm of the renewables group recently announced plans to further expand their Spanish presence with a 180MW wind farm in Zaragoza. The €181m investment represents Enel’s largest wind farm in the country and the energy produced will be sold to Novartis as per a previously arranged PPA.
2) Repsol (Spain)
The renewables branch of Spanish energy giant Repsol has shifted their focus toward achieving a net-zero future. Repsol plans to invest €5.5bn in low-carbon initiatives as part of their 2021-2025 strategic plan, in which their Delta 2 wind farm will play a major role. The 860MW wind project consists of 26 wind farms located in the Aragon region. The large-scale project is due to become operational by 2023 with construction having started in 2021. Once fully operational, Delta 2 will provide electricity to 800,000 Spanish homes. Delta 2 represents a cornerstone in Repsol’s aim to achieve 7.5GW of installed low-emission energy production by 2025 with plans to double that amount by 2030. To date, Repsol have 3.3GW of low-emission energy projects installed.
3) Greenalia (Spain)
The independent Spanish renewable developer has vast experience in completing various renewable projects including wind, solar, biomass, and storage. Greenalia maintains a strong national presence and aims to be a key player in the Spanish decarbonization and green energy transition. Greenalia have numerous wind projects located across Spain with a project pipeline of 4.5GW. In May 2022, the Spanish group announced their joint venture with Siemens Gamesa to produce a trio of wind farms named Campelo, Bustelo, and Monte Toural. The wind farms once fully installed will have a total capacity of 110MW and will supply electricity to 90,000 Spanish homes.
Image Source Unsplash 26.06.2022
