The end of coal and the gradual decarbonisation of the economy has increased countries’ commitment to renewable energy. In the case of Spain, the new Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC) includes an investment of approximately €294,000 million in the development of green alternatives and sustainable sources of 81% of electricity consumption by 2030. And it has the potential to generate them: If sunny hours are an incentive for green hydrogen, knowledge of wind technology means it could become the benchmark in Spain’s offshore power generation infrastructures. For the period 2025-2030, Direct contribution to Spanish energy GDP offshore wind will be 9,581 million euros, according to consulting OCP. Of these, about 6,116 million are estimated in a scenario where 75% of the activities take place in Spain, with an additional 1,860 million related to O&M, shipbuilding and other activities associated with its development. energy.
Experts are optimistic and even more ambitious than the Government. The Offshore Wind Roadmap envisions the installation of 1,000 to 3,000 megawatts (MW) of new power from floating structures (offshore) within seven years, while European employers in the industry WindEurope, Projects a development of 12,000 MW by 2027, a figure that represents a 12% contribution to all installed power in the European Union. Last February, Marine Area Management Plans (POEM) were approved, in which an area of 5,000 square kilometers is constrained by 0.46% of national waters for the deployment of offshore wind power. The selected areas are the North Atlantic, Levantine-Balearic, Bosphorus and those included in Alborán and the Canary Islands.
This Spanish companies they also jumped on the offshore wind caravan. iberdrola At the end of March, it formalized one of the largest contracts in its history worth 1,500 million euros to build 95 Siemens Gamesa wind turbines to be built in East Anglia. world and also German steelmaker Stahl Holding signed an agreement to supply 200 gigawatt hours to Saar for 15 years. on his behalf Navantia and Windar Ørsted and Polish energy group PGE have signed a contract to produce 77 bases for Baltica 2, a 1,500 MW offshore wind farm located in the Polish region of the Baltic Sea. Another company that sees an opportunity, Power Energyentered at the end of May as the first shareholder of Eolink, a startup specializing in floating offshore wind power.
Inside European Union They also show an interest in this type of energy. Among his goals The target to reach 60,000 MW installed power by 2030 and 300,000 MW by 2050 and several countries accelerated the commissioning of their projects: Germany has 14% of the 342 MW offshore wind capacity in the North Seas, while France installed its first commercial-scale offshore installation park in 2022. The growing demand for this type of renewable technology, along with the increase in the installed capacity of offshore wind power, has led to an increased appetite for this type of infrastructure in European ports.”
Adding decarbonisation and energy independence targets, this scenario presents a “great opportunity for the Spanish port system”. Opportunities include raising capital to build new infrastructures and remodel existing ones. a policy that the government considers necessary in the Roadmap. 500 to 1,000 million investment to meet new logistics needssomething that can be exploited by private and public capital.
Generating this type of clean energy will also serve to power the ports at a crucial moment and increase tons of goods in motion due to the application of OPS (onshore power supply) technology. According to OCP calculationsIf 1,000 MW of offshore wind power is installed on our shores, 0.3% more 72.092 tons will be transported to Spanish ports. Compared to the total traffic of 2022, however, if the installed power reaches 14,000 MW, the volume of freight in motion will increase by 1.004.984 tons, 0.9% above the total. They explain from the consultant that this increase will “help the Administrations obtain more aid or funding, as well as increase the notoriety and reputation of the ports”.
Delays due to geography
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Despite being one of the most advanced in developing onshore wind infrastructure, the country has been out of the offshore race in recent years. OCP attributes “ the high depths offered by the earth’s crust on our shores” has made it difficult to anchor fixed structures to the seafloor, so the gradual introduction of floating foundations raises hopes for the extraction of such energy. The offshore wind commitment, also made up of fraternities in the northwest of the Platform Peninsula, Defense Fisheries and Marine Ecosystems, appealed to the Supreme Court against the Executive’s plan. and they wanted it to be developed based on dialogue between all parties.
respect protected natural environments or conservation of biodiversity These are also some of the challenges posed by the development of facilities to generate offshore wind power as well as logistics. Mobilization and transport of the elements that make up these infrastructures, such as wind turbines, are complex due to their large size and very high tonnage, and therefore large usable areas are required for their manufacture and storage, as well as the mobilization systems. .very specific and heavy.