The wind power sector has put forward nine projects using part of the European reconstruction funds allocated to Spain. Earmarking 1.165 billion euros from the funds would allow for the activation of private investments worth over 12 billion and would create more than 30,000 jobs.
These nine projects would make it possible to generate 17.32 terawatt hours (TWh) of wind power on a national scale. This is equivalent to 30% of the increase in wind power generation envisaged in the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC). The projects would also reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by over 7.6 million tonnes of CO2/year – 7.5% of the reduction in emissions envisaged in the PNIEC – with an incentive cost per tonne of CO2 reduced of 6 euros.
Amongst other items, the wind sector’s proposal contains a programme for the repowering of wind power facilities, storage projects in wind farms, deployment of wind power facilities in systems outside the peninsula to achieve savings in the cost of electricity generation and boost the local economy, projects focused on offshore wind. It also includes development of ‘hubs’ for experimentation in onshore and offshore wind, as well as plants for obtaining renewable hydrogen generated from wind power.
Repowering and offshore wind
In the specific case of repowering, the sector flags that the Spanish wind farm in 2020 will have around 10,000 megawatts (MW) which are over 15 years old and 2,300 MW over 20 years old. The power over 20 years old will reach 6,160 MW in 2023. So the industry’s proposal believes the older wind farms with obsolete technology should be the main objective of repowering, It also needs to be taken into account that because they were the first to be installed, these wind farms are usually located in the sites with the best wind resources.
As far as offshore wind is concerned, Spain’s wind power sector estimates that it is in a position to contribute significantly to the PNIEC’s global objectives for 2030, with a capacity of 2,000-3,000 MW.
