Spain

Wind Energy in Spain

The Spanish government’s national renewable energy plan sets the objective of expanding wind energy on land to 35,000 and offshore to 750 megawatts.  Until mid-2011 wind farms with a total capacity of 22,000 megawatts were connected to the Spanish grid. With this result, Spain is the fourth largest wind market worldwide after the USA, China and Germany. Wind energy already covers 15 percent of the Spanish power requirement. According to one study, the wind energy sector contributes 3.8 billion euro to the Spanish gross domestic product and has, for instance, surpassed viticulture and commercial fishing.
Great Potential
Spain offers numerous high wind areas. The potential estimated in the renewable energy plan almost exceeds the expansion goal for 2020 by a factor of ten. Accordingly, 330,000 megawatts wind capacity could be installed in the long-term.

Unclear Legal Situation
Currently Spain lacks regulatory framework, particularly concerning feed-in-tariffs for new wind power projects. As a result, only projects are finalized which still received feed-in commitments on the basis of the old tariff and were included in the register. This slows down the development significantly. In the first half of 2011 barely 500 megawatts were connected to the grid. Compared to the wind-swept years before 2010, this is a drastic slump. To still be able to achieve the expansion target, at least 1,400 megawatts would have to be installed annually until 2020. However, it is expected that the market will gather momentum as soon as a reasonable new tariff comes into effect.

Questionable Draft
In September 2011, the ministry of economy presented a draft for a new feed-in-tariff. However, most market players are convinced that this draft is no suitable basis for a positive development of wind energy on the Iberian Peninsula. After strong protests it did not look as if the draft would enter into force. Instead, the industry has braced itself for a long wait for a new regulation.

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ABO Wind ESPAÑA S.A.

In the beginning of 2001, ABO Wind established the Spanish subsidiary ABO Wind ESPAÑA S.A. (comparable to an AG), located in Valencia.  Ten employees are currently working in this office and in a second location in Valladolid and have projects totalling around 300 megawatts underway.

Velez Rubio sold
The 50 megawatt wind farm „Santa Maria de Nieva” in the Andalusian town of Velez Rubio, on which ABO Wind has been working on for some time, has been entered into the register. With this, the current lucrative feed-in tariff has been secured which raises the project's inherent value. The project was sold to a Spanish company. Together with the new owner, ABO Wind is working on putting „Santa Maria de Nieva” into operation in 2012.

Experimental projects 
Under favouring conditions, two smaller wind farms in Castilla y León could also be realized in 2012 if they are classified as experimental projects.