IberBlue Wind, a joint venture operating in the Iberian market, has announced two floating offshore wind projects on the North Atlantic coast. They will be located on the border between Spain and Portugal and have a combined capacity of up to 1.96 GW.

The projects named Juan Sebastián Elcano and Creoula will have approximately 109 turbines. They will occupy an area of 530 square kilometres off the coasts of Baixo Miño in Pontevedra and Viana do Castelo. When operational, they will be able to supply electricity to over one million homes. The names Juan Sebastián Elcano and Creoula were chosen for the projects as a tribute to two historic training ships that are part of the Spanish and Portuguese Navy.

The global investment required for the construction and maintenance of the two projects could exceed 4,000 million euros and generate more than 5,000 jobs. These projects represent a pioneering approach to offshore floating wind development that will benefit both countries. It is estimated that the cost of their joint development could be 32% lower than if they were to be developed separately. This will maximise synergies in resourcing and economies of scale during both the construction and operation phases. Consequently, reducing energy prices for both countries, which operate as one within the Iberian Electricity Market – MIBEL.

Adrián de Andrés, Vice President of IberBlue Wind, said: “It is very exciting to develop cross-border floating offshore wind projects and to collaborate with both Portuguese and Spanish governments on this positive opportunity for both countries. We have already engaged with both authorities when we presented our projects to the Spanish and Portuguese authorities, and we look forward to continued engagement.”

Commitment to local industry

Juan Sebastián Elcano will consist of 29 wind turbines of 18 MW each, which gives it a nominal capacity of 522 MW. The wind turbines, installed on floating platforms anchored to the seabed, will extend from As Mariñas to A Guarda over 117 square kilometres. Their visual impact will be much reduced between 20 and 35 kilometres from the coast.

The location is within the delimitations recently established by the Spanish Government under their Maritime Space Management Plans (POEM), among which is the North Atlantic demarcation, called NOR-1. The project will support the local Galician industry, which has the ability and experience to undertake this kind of project.

Creoula will have 80 turbines of 18 MW each and an installed capacity of 1,440 MW. The project will cover an area of 413 square kilometres and be between 20 and 40 km from shore.

Creoula is also located within the areas proposed by the Portuguese Government for offshore wind farm development and will contribute to the target set to install 10 GW of offshore wind by 2030.

A cross-border relationship that extends to the sea

The construction and operation of both projects will require ongoing collaboration between the developers and many different stakeholders, including civil society, coastal communities and other sea users. IberBlue Wind has already established relationships with port authorities, regional and local administrations, and representative bodies in the two areas, with the aim to positively integrate the projects into the local environments and deliver a sustainable socio-economic opportunity.

IberBlue Wind’s value proposition is based on deploying cutting-edge floating offshore wind technology to produce carbon-free energy and advance the energy transition needed to fight climate change. All its projects are firmly committed to developing coastal communities and close collaboration with stakeholders.

Source: https://www.iberbluewind.com/
Image source: Courtesy of IberBlue Wind

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