The recent failure of the Danish offshore wind auction, where no bids were received for 6 GW of capacity in the North Sea, does not affect the future of offshore wind in Spain. This is assured by Javier Monfort, Country Manager of BlueFloat España, who emphasizes that the structural differences between the two models are key to ensuring success in the Spanish scenario.

In Denmark, the auction was designed as a negative tender, where participants bid a price to the government for the exclusivity of a body of water, without including economic guarantees or power purchase agreements. This, combined with the increase in turbine costs and high interest rates, generated uncertainty among developers.

“The Danish auction does not provide guaranteed income or a connection point on land, which raises the risk for developers,” explains the executive in an interview with Energía Estratégica España. This approach led to the absence of proposals, despite the initial interest shown by the industry.

The Spanish Model: Guarantees and Viability

In contrast, Spain has designed a scheme that combines economic certainty, strategic reserves, and a comprehensive approach.

“In the case of Spain, successful bidders will have an economic regime based on long-term CfD contracts, as well as connection capacity reserves and exclusivity in water bodies,” Monfort details.

This design not only reduces financial risks but also facilitates project viability by integrating in the same process the allocation of maritime space, grid access, and a stable economic framework.

According to Monfort, this structure ensures that developers can plan with confidence and compete on balanced terms.

In addition to economic guarantees, the Spanish model incorporates socio-economic criteria in the awarding process, an aspect Monfort considers essential to encourage local development.

“The criteria will be based on the electricity sale price and a series of socio-economic indicators still to be detailed,” he explains.

These criteria will allow projects to contribute to the development of local communities, generating employment and promoting additional economic benefits.

The BlueFloat executive concludes that, although both countries share the goal of accelerating the energy transition, their models are not comparable and emphasizes: “We believe that what happened in the Danish auction is not extrapolable to the future scenario in Spain.”

The Spanish scheme, by prioritizing financial certainty and a more inclusive design, is positioned as a benchmark for offshore wind in Europe.

“The success of the Spanish model lies in its balanced approach, combining competitiveness, sustainability, and benefits for local communities,” says Monfort.