Only 80 kW of wind installed in Spain for H1 - AEE

Jul 29, 2014 - Just a single wind turbine with a capacity of 80 kW has been installed in Spain during the first half of the year as regulatory changes push away those who are willing to invest in the country’s wind power sector.

The Spanish Wind Energy Association (AEE) said today that Spain’s total installed wind power capacity amounted to 22,970.58 MW at the end of June 2014. The organisation stressed that due to the retroactive measures in Spain’s energy reform and the too low remuneration offered, the completion of 177 MW of wind projects already included in the Register of Pre-Allocation is not certain.

AEE also warned that there are more regulations awaiting approval, such as the Ministerial Order for Interruptibility or the Royal Decree draft on capacity payments, that could have devastating effects on the sector as they would lift costs for wind companies.

Despite all the bad news, the existing wind farms in Spain were able to cover 23.2% of power demand during the first half, with a total output of 28,818 GWh, according to Red Electrica de Espana. At EUR 32.90 (USD 44.19) per MWh, the average electricity market price in the six-month period was 11% lower than in the first half of 2013 and 31% below that in the same period of 2012, provisional data by local market operator OMIE shows.

(EUR 1.0 = USD 1.343)

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