Spain always had everything it needed to become a major renewable power, and it is achieving it. With the right investment, the country could reach 2050 with renewable energy alone, and what we have seen so far in 2024 is proof that the investment is coming.
Spain has authorised almost 9,500 MW of renewable capacity in the first half of the year. However, two autonomous communities account for more than half of the new projects, while others lag behind.
Aragon and Castile and Leon stand out. These two regions have become the main drivers of renewable energy in Spain. Castilla y León leads the way in new installations, with 2,647 MW of power, closely followed by Aragón, with 2,482 MW of capacity.
Wind power is gaining ground in both communities, but solar projects are becoming increasingly larger, such as the macro-park of photovoltaic energy planned for a town of 200 inhabitants in León and the new solar plants in Segovia, which giants such as Apple have shown interest in.
For its part, Aragon has come to produce more than 100% of its electricity demand with wind energy. The wind in Zaragoza is so persistent that the province has the largest wind turbines in the country.
Transform your home with the energy of the sun. At Comunidad Solar, we install high-efficiency photovoltaic panels so you can enjoy clean electricity and save on your bill. With the best technology on the market and unparalleled service, we ensure your total satisfaction.
Advice offered by the brand
Madrid is catching up. Castilla y León and Aragón are followed by Andalusia, with 1,091 MW of installations, and Madrid, with 927 MW. Madrid, the only autonomous community without wind farms, has historically lagged behind in renewable energy, but a good number of new projects are now betting on the central region.
As for the projects that have obtained permits, there are another 82 underway, equivalent to 8,375 MW of capacity. A third in Aragon, followed by Castile and Leon, Castile-La Mancha, Andalusia and Extremadura.
Catalonia is lagging behind. This take-off contrasts with the situation in Catalonia, where hardly any new projects of significance have been registered, EPE publishes.
In Catalonia, the Ascó nuclear power plant and the Vandellós nuclear power plant generate a large part of the region’s electricity. And hydroelectric plants, which have been operating on the region’s rivers for decades, have historically led the renewable contribution.
With nuclear power plants set to close by 2035, Catalonia may have to up the ante on wind and solar power to meet Spain’s clean energy and emissions reduction targets.
Image | Iberdrola
At Xataka | We have just discovered natural hydrogen for several centuries underground. And there are those who seek to extract it from the Aragonese Pyrenees
Add Comment