Spain pushes fast delivery in new 3.3GW wind and solar tender

Spain plans to auction a further 3.3GW of renewable energy capacity in October, after receiving record-low prices in a previous round earlier this year.

The ministry for the ecological transition and demographic challenge (Miteco) will reserve 1.5GW for wind and 700MW for solar PV, while a further 200MW will be technology-neutral.

It will also reserve an extra 600MW for wind and solar projects that start operating within eight months, and another 300MW for locally distributed solar facilities to encourage citizen participation.

The ministry explained that it wanted to capitalise on low prices secured in a tender earlier this year, which it believes can help cut electricity bills faster.

In an auction in January, Spain awarded just over 3GW of renewable energy capacity, of which about 1GW was onshore wind.

The cheapest onshore wind farm was awarded at just €20/MWh, while the weighted average bid for successful wind farms was €25.31/MWh – well below national wholesale electricity market prices in 2020.

Spain’s ecological transition ministry stated that the October auction “will translate into direct savings in the electricity bill, which will increase with successive calls”.