Wind power drives new renewables record for Spain: 50.7 pct in May

Renewable energy sources supplied just over half of Spain’s electricity demand for the month of May, new data has shown, boosted by a strong contribution from the nation’s wind farms.

Estimates released this week by Spanish grid operator Red Electrica de Espana (REE) revealed that a mix of renewables including concentrating solar thermal and hydro generation produced 50.7% of Spain’s electricity in May.

As reported by Renewables Now, zero emission sources delivered 10% more “green gigawatt-hours” over the course of May compared to the same period a year ago, and 4.5% more than the previous month of April.

Wind power generation was the biggest contributor of all generation sources on the grid, delivering 4,794GWh and taking a 23.4% share in the mix over the month, followed by nuclear and combined cycle gas plants.

Spain is the second biggest country in Europe for wind energy, with 27GW of wind farms that generated 60TWh in 2020 and supply an average of 22% of its electricity.

The Spanish government is aiming to install 50GW of wind by 2030 and is making good ground. The first of the country’s new renewable energy auctions in January this year delivered Europe’s lowest onshore wind energy bid at a price of €20/MWh.

May also delivered a new solar record for Spain, the REE showed, with solar PV plants producing a combined 2,331GWh in May, the highest monthly volume since national records began in 2007. And on May 29, solar PV reached a daily share of 14.7% on 89GWh.

The Spanish government last year approved an ambitious draft climate law based on a target of reaching net zero emissions “no later than 2050, in coherence with the scientific criteria and the demands of the citizens.”

In June of 2020, the country ceased operations at nearly half of its coal-fired power stations, shuttering seven out of its 15 plants totalling 4,630MW, after Spain’s electric companies deemed it did not make financial sense to adapt them to necessary European regulations.