Spain is, in the words of the Spanish Ministry of the Environment (official name: Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge), “a world powerhouse when it comes to wind power turbine production and energy generation.”
Spain is also, with a fifth place, actually a world leader in the field of onshore wind turbines. When measured in terms of installed capacity, Spain supplies 27.5 GW.
Floating wind turbines
If these plans become reality, Spain will manage to achieve 1 to 3 GW of floating wind power by the year 2030. This would be equivalent to no less than forty percent of the European target of 7 GW. The country also plans to invest in wave and tidal energy, which is still underutilized worldwide.
One billion euros
A likely partner in the project is Iberdrola. Last February, this Spanish electricity company had already presented its plan to build the first industrial-scale floating offshore wind farm in Spain. Its construction involves one billion euros and funding must come from Brussels. “The project has been submitted under the EU’s Next Generation program,” according to the company’s press release.
Despite being the driving force behind the plan to expedite wind power, the Spanish government proposed a new measure last month that would put the brakes on development. The lobby group of the European wind energy sector announced last month that certain wind farms would have to pay a carbon surcharge.
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