Enel Green Power venturing into Catalonia with 49-MW wind project

Spanish power utility Endesa SA (BME:IBE) has proposed to build a 49-MW wind farm in Catalonia, where the regional government recently introduced tougher rules for large-scale renewable energy projects to prioritise distributed generation, self-consumption and proposals with a high degree of citizen participation.

Endesa, part of Italian group Enel SpA (BIT:ENEL), would realise the project through its renewables division Enel Green Power Espana.

In a press release on Monday, Endesa said the Galatea wind power project would require an investment of around EUR 40 million (USD 45.4m). The company held a public hearing session with citizens of the La Jonquera municipality to present them the plans for the wind farm and offer them to participate in the financing in exchange for profits, it said.

Under the Catalan government’s new rules, owners of renewable energy projects of 5 MW and above are required to demonstrate that they have offered at least 20% interest in the scheme to local investors including municipalities.

The Galatea project is currently going through the permitting process. Enel Green Power Espana would build the wind farm using nine turbines in the comarca of Alt Emporda, north-eastern Spain. With an estimated output of 140 GWh per year, Galatea would be capable of powering half of the households in Alt Emporda, according to the developer.

Should the company receive all the required permits, the wind farm might start operation in mid-2024, Endesa added.

(EUR 1.0 = USD 1.136)

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