Spain to ramp up renewables rollout with tougher emissions target

The ecological transition and demographic challenge ministry said in a statement that Spain’s existing national energy and climate plan, known as PNIEC, would be updated to hasten the green transition away from fossil fuels. 

Spain will now target a 32% reduction in fossil fuel emissions from 1990 levels by 2030, up from the previous 23% target. 

The goal for renewable energy generation, meanwhile, is 48% of the national total by the end of the decade under the proposals, with 81% of its electricity generation coming from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. 

Wind energy was identified as a key component of the government’s plan to wean the country of fossil fuels and onto cleaner energy sources. 

Spain currently has an installed wind capacity of 28.8GW according to Windpower Intelligence, the data and research division of Windpower Monthly. 

Under the new proposals, the country will target 42GW of wind energy capacity by 2025 and 62GW by 2030, anticipating a massive rollout of new wind energy projects in the country this decade. 

Almost all of Spain’s existing wind fleet is currently onshore, but the country recently announced its plans to pursue offshore wind development in five suitable marine areas identified by the government in February. The government’s existing offshore wind target is 3GW. 

Only solar power is expected to make a larger contribution than wind to Spain’s future energy mix, with the government anticipating 56GW of solar capacity by 2025 and 76GW by 2030.