Spain ‘needs first auction, clear milestones’ for offshore wind

The AEE and the Forum said the government also needs to set out a clear timeline for the development of offshore windfarms in Spanish waters, with clear regulatory guidelines.

The AEE said a lack of firm signals is creating “a real risk of industrial and port investment relocating to other countries such as Portugal, France and Morocco,” which have already launched ambitious plans for offshore windfarms.

The Association said inaction could lead to the loss of more than 7,500 jobs in coastal areas over the next eight years and the loss of more than €2.0Bn (US$2.3Bn) in annual contributions to GDP. It said the risk of “missing the offshore wind train” is “increasingly tangible.”

“We cannot afford any further delays,” said the AEE in a statement. “The development of offshore wind in Spain needs to move forward now. There is no reason to justify the delay in processing pending regulations.”

AEE chief executive Juan Virgilio Márquez said, “Several companies interested in developing projects in Spain are already reorienting their strategies toward other countries, due to the lack of progress and regulatory certainty.”

“The industry is ready, the European framework is clear, and our country’s potential is unquestionable,” said the AEE. “Spain, thanks to its industrial capabilities, infrastructure and the availability of suitable areas for offshore windfarms, has everything it needs to be at the top of the European floating technology rankings.”

The AEE and Forum said the government must launch an initial auction for offshore wind capacity as soon as possible. Logically, it said, it should be in the Canary Islands, given the favourable wind resource there, and the industrial, social and political conditions in the region.

“The logical choice is for the Canary Islands to spearhead the initiative,” said the AEE. “Its electricity generation system is much more expensive and polluting than on the mainland. Offshore wind can generate obvious savings for consumers. The region has ideal logistics and the shipbuilding infrastructure that is required.

“There is widespread consensus about the opportunity to install floating windfarms, and a constructive debate about how to make them coexist with other activities in the region, such as fishing. Installation of offshore windfarms will reinforce sustainable tourism there.”

The AEE said deploying offshore wind on the Iberian Peninsula “requires a balanced geographic approach, combined with long-term visibility.” If this is achieved, it said, the economic viability of projects can be ensured. “Galicia and Catalonia are territories with enormous potential that cannot be left behind.”

“For all the above reasons, we request that the Ministry publish the public consultation on the ministerial order for the first offshore wind auction, along with a clear schedule and milestones, including plans for subsequent ministerial orders and tenders.”

In its National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan, the Spanish government set out a target of installing 3 GW of offshore wind by 2030.