Spain to Allow Offshore Wind Farms

[jpak]

http://www.renewableaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=49530

Spain -- the world's second leading producer of wind power -- has passed a new law allowing wind parks to be built off its coast. It is predicted that the offshore wind parks will generate between 2,000 and 3,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity by 2020. That would represent a major contribution to Spain's future wind power production.

In 2006, Spain had a total of 11,730 MW of capacity installed on its mainland. The new offshore wind farms will be built on sites along Spain's 4000-kilometer-long coast under a licence scheme.

"Spain is a peninsula with sea on three sides and so is one of the best places in the world for building wind farms at sea," Carlos Montana from the Spanish Ministry of Industry told RenewableEnergyAccess.com.

Spain's Ministry of Industry will undertake a study of the coastline to identify the best sites for building wind turbines and to assess the impact of wind parks on the landscape. The study is due to be completed by July 1st, 2008.

<more>