The new Royal Decree on offshore wind introduces a key regulatory framework for development in Spain, establishing public tenders for the allocation of projects in areas designated by marine spatial planning plans. It sets criteria to ensure sustainable and orderly development, prioritizing the most mature areas with the highest territorial acceptance.

It has been met with varied but generally positive opinions from key players in the sector, such as Ocean Winds, ACCIONA Energía, ABEI Energy, and IberBlue Wind.

While each company recognizes the progress this regulatory framework represents, all agree that there is still much to be done for the country to fully capitalize on the industrial and energy opportunities offered by this technology.

Currently, 23,356 MW are part of the MITECO processing platform.

ABEI Energy and IberBlue Wind are two of the companies with the most MW accumulated, with a total of 2,934.8 and 2,532 MW, respectively.

Carlos Arenal Gómez, Offshore Technical Manager of ABEI Energy, also celebrates the step represented by the Royal Decree but expresses concern about the slow pace of the process.

Although the regulatory framework is a positive step, in dialogue with Energía Estratégica España, the executive warns that “if the processing and approval of other regulations, such as the Coastal Law or the Economic Regime for Renewable Energies (REER), are not accelerated, there is a risk of losing industrial opportunities to neighboring countries.”

This company has submitted seven projects in Galicia (3), Andalusia (1), and the Canary Islands (3). However, Arenal Gómez states that they are particularly interested in the Gran Canaria area for the first offshore wind auction.

As the executive describes, the published RD does not affect the definition of the projects they have submitted for voluntary environmental processing.

“The parameters defined by the Ministerial Order and the areas identified for the first auction will allow us to select which projects to present and shape them for the tender,” he concludes.

IberBlue Wind

Julio Vera, Director of Institutional Relations at IberBlue Wind, welcomes the Royal Decree with optimism, seeing it as a key step toward realizing the auctions.

The executive notes that, although details regarding the financial and non-financial requirements for the auctions are still to be defined, the regulatory framework provides a solid foundation for the projects the company has been developing.

“The approved regulation lays the foundation and supports projects we’ve been working on at IberBlue Wind. We’re getting closer to making offshore wind a reality,” Vera emphasizes.

The company is focused on two priority geographical areas: Galicia and Andalusia, where they are running three offshore wind projects, including the Juan Sebastián Elcano, La Pinta, and Nao Victoria parks.

As Vera commented, the approval of this RD “has no direct implications for the DIP or initial project documents submitted to MITECO in 2022 and 2023.”

In this sense, he describes them as preliminary projects that, in addition to technically outlining the projects, included a detailed environmental impact analysis for MITECO to forward to the relevant agencies that could be affected.

ACCIONA Energía

Spanish energy company ACCIONA has decided to proceed more cautiously with its offshore wind investments and has submitted a 210 MW project in Gran Canaria, where the first auction is expected to take place in early 2025.

Sources from the company shared with Energía Estratégica España that, while they celebrate the passing of the RD, “we must wait for the publication of the ministerial orders that will regulate the competitive bidding processes and define the bases, parameters, and timelines that will allow the development and commissioning of new projects.”

They also emphasize that to achieve the “ambitious objectives of the new PNIEC for 2030” of 3 GW, “it is essential to accelerate the processing of projects.”

At the same time, and to ensure that offshore generation is properly integrated into the electricity mix by the end of the decade, ACCIONA underscores the priority of “continuing to promote all measures that accelerate the electrification of the energy system, by replacing fossil fuel consumption and launching new demand (e.g., data centers).”

Ocean Winds

Manuel Fernandez, Business Development Director for Spain at Ocean Winds, has expressed optimism about the future of offshore wind in the country, stating that “at Ocean Winds, we are committed to advancing our plan in Spain, with the goal of positioning the country as a leader in floating offshore wind energy.”

OW has collaborated and continues to collaborate with Spanish companies on international projects, such as the manufacturing of 14 XXL monopiles for the Moray West project (UK) and 62 jackets for Dieppe le Tréport (France), in partnership with Navantia Seanergies and Windar Renovables.

Furthermore, they signed a significant agreement in 2023 with Navantia to manufacture floating platforms and other components for future offshore wind farms in Spain, Portugal, and Europe between 2027 and 2031.

In dialogue with Energía Estratégica España, Fernandez highlights the importance of meeting the established objectives: “We ask the government to announce and allocate the first floating offshore wind auction in the Canary Islands by 2025 at the latest to reach 3 GW by 2030.”

In this regard, he emphasizes the need for proper planning, stating, “We propose developing a detailed schedule with successive auctions on the mainland that will allow for proper planning by all participants, thus ensuring successful and sustainable development.”

Finally, he underscores: “OW has been working on offshore wind development in the country for over five years and will be present with strong and competitive proposals in the areas where the government calls future tenders.”

Currently, they consider that the Canary Islands have “very favorable” conditions to develop the first auction, “for both environmental and economic reasons.”

For this reason, they have formed an alliance with DISA, a company specializing in energy in the archipelago, to promote the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy generated by offshore wind farms.