industry of the Cantabrian coast, Galicia until Asturias Dominates the lands of Europe’s industrial elite. Especially in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, where the most prosperous European Offshore industry flourished, thanks to single masts, foundations and metal structures built by companies in Galicia and Asturia.
It wants to lead the European energy transition and north Spain may be the pioneer of the so-called ‘green revolution’. And on the Cantabrian coast, Iberdrola, the world leader in renewable energy companies, has projects and lead companies that will position the continent as a model of decarbonisation. The Spanish multinational company from Galicia, Asturias and the Basque Country is positioned at European level as a driving force in the manufacture of components that will promote European leadership.
The power company’s alliance with Navantia in Ferrol and Windar in Asturias has enabled the production of key components in offshore wind projects owned by the power company in Germany, France or the United Kingdom from these two regions. . Offshore wind farms from Winkinger (Germany), Saint Brieuc (France) or East Anglia (UK) originate from northern Spain. In this way, Galicia, Asturias and the Basque Country, through Iberdrola, lead the manufacture of the most innovative components in Offshore construction.
Navantia Seanergies and Windar will produce for Iberdrola 45 single masts for 3 offshore wind farms in East Anglia. This is the largest contract ever for a foundation of this type for Navantia-Windar. Production will take place at the Navantia and Windar monopiles factory, located at the Fene shipyard (A Coruña).
When it goes live in 2026, The park where the monopiles will be installed will have a generation capacity of 1,400 MW, which will provide clean energy to 1.3 million homes.
With this new order Navantia Seanergies-Windar consolidates its position in this product line and strengthens a relationship of more than nine years with the Spanish companyIberdrola has contracts in excess of €1,000 million with orders for offshore wind farms in the UK, Germany, France and the United States.
Basque company Haizea Wind also joins this Offshore park. iberdrola Haizea signed a more than €200 million agreement with Bilbao to supply 50 monopiles to the East Anglia Three offshore wind farm. It was developed in the UK by the British subsidiary of electric utility Scottish Power from its facilities in the Port of Biscay.
with this contractHaizea Wind Group has completed a workload of over €1,500 million for the next 4 years in Bilbao and represents a significant appreciation of its technological and productive capacities. The 50 monopiles Haizea Wind Group will produce for Iberdrola will serve to support the wind turbines of the East Anglia Three offshore wind farm in the UK. The park, which will have a total capacity of 1.4 GW, will provide clean energy to more than a million British homes.
As stated in the signed contract, Haizea Bilbao will be responsible for the material procurement, engineering of the fabrication process and the fabrication of the single masts. This contract and the expansion of Haizea’s capacity at the Port of Bilbao are in line with Haizea Wind Group’s strategic growth plan.It includes the goal of becoming one of the key players in the offshore wind energy value chain and more specifically securing a relevant position in offshore core generation and supply companies.
The offshore wind farm of Saint Brieuc in the French country is another example of the strength of the industry off the coast of Cantabria.. 40% of offshore wind platforms to support wind turbines are manufactured by Navantia in Fene.
1,250 jobs in Avilés and Fene
The €350m contract for the construction of Saint-Brieuc is the largest order ever signed by the Navantia and Windar association in the field of offshore wind.. This project has created 1,250 direct jobs in Avilés and Fene.
Moreover, Navantia-Windar opened a factory in Brest, France, where 186 stabbing knives are produced. and intermediate platforms for the transition tracks and lattice construction for 34 of the 62 buildings in the park created 250 jobs.
Thanks to the contracts awarded by the world’s second electricity company, Navantia has become the global benchmark in making components for: offshore wind and the first supplier of such structures in France, It has one of the biggest development potentials in this industry in Europe.
Saint Brieuc offshore wind farm project A clear example of the driving force of this Spanish multinational through suppliers and the strength of the Spanish industries’ value chain.
The maintenance vessel for the Breton offshore wind farm was built at the Balenciaga shipyards in Zumaia (Basque Country). It is noteworthy that Iberdrola, the world leader in green energy, has merged with the number one wind turbine manufacturer Siemens Gamesa. company that supplies the windmills and is responsible for the maintenance of the offshore wind farm and a century-old shipyard in Balenciaga, Basque Country. At this shipyard, a SOV ship (Operation Services Ship in English abbreviation) tasked with providing technical support to the park was launched.
Edda Wind, 83.4 meters long and approximately 19 meters wide, built in Zumaia, will be tasked with transporting maintenance technicians to parks more than 60 kilometers from the shore, staying for two weeks at the marine facility. .
But in addition to this, the European renewable future has another pillar in Asturias. Photovoltaic energy. The Bilbao-based company and Asturian business group Exiom have formed an alliance to lead the production of photovoltaic solar panels in Spain. Thus, both companies will establish the first large photovoltaic construction plant in our country and one of the first in Europe on an industrial scale, in the municipality of Langreo in Asturias. The solar panel factory in the mining basin will be operational this year in 2023.
The agreement with Exiom responds to the effort undertaken by Iberdrola to attract part of the value chain linked to renewable energies to our country. Especially solar energy. The aim is to make Spain a pioneer to lead this emerging sector from Europe. The Langreo region of Asturias will host the construction site of the plant, which will be Spain’s first major PV plant.. The planned investment is 20 million Euros and will contribute to the economic revitalization of the mining basins by creating 115 direct jobs in the region. Exiom is also a 100% Spanish-owned manufacturer originating in Asturias and one of the only European groups to be included in the prestigious Tier 1 manufacturers list.
The opening of this new factory in Europe responds to the interests of both companies to carry out competitive production at EU level with the possibility of extending their cooperation to other components of the photovoltaic value chain, with a first focus on solar panels.. In addition, the initiative reinforces both companies’ commitment to industrialization associated with the energy transition, as reflected in the ‘Green Deal Industry Plan’ recently presented by the European Commission.
With all these projects, The Cantabrian Sea is strategically positioned to conquer a self-sufficient and environmentally sustainable Europe, thanks to Iberdrola’s commitment to its local industries and suppliers. A historic opportunity for these regions to embark on the train of 100% green economy, reindustrialization on a renewable key, has become a reality thanks to the projects of the Spanish company.