Spain is a windy country but it is perhaps surprising that it is now the third biggest wind energy producer in the world with 9,650 mills, producing 6,202 megawatts at the start of 2004, just behind the USA and a long way from Germany.
Wind power currently covers 6% of Spain's energy needs and capacity is rising fast, growing by 28% last year. Galicia has the most wind farms and Extremadura the least (zero). Surprisingly, Navarra now has 60% of its needs covered by renewable energy (mostly in the form of wind), and this is set to rise to an estimable 97% by 2005. Despite these achievements, Spain is finding itself hard pressed to meet its Kyoto commitments of a 15% rise from 1990 to 2010, with CO2 emissions increasing by 38% between 1990 and 2002. The figures for increases in wind energy capacity over the next few years vary massively, though rise it will. Spain's potential for offshore wind power is not so bright as the continental platform around the coast here drops off rapidly, making it much more expensive to build farms, though there are controversial experiments being carried out off the Delta de Ebro and Barbete in Cadiz.

Wind farms are of course not without their critics. There is growing opposition to the blight they cause on the landscape, especially when compensation is only paid to the municipality in which the farm is sited, instead of to every municipality which can see it. As everywhere else, it is often a question of people being in favour of wind energy as long as the farm is not built on their doorstep. SEO (the Spanish Bird Protection Organisation) is not against wind farms per se, but believes much greater care should be taken in their location, avoiding sensitive migration routes and in ZEPAs (Zona Especial de Protección de Aves), such as Hoces del Alto Ebro. See http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/seocantabria/Energ%EDa%20E%F3lica.htm for SEO's position in Cantabria (in Spanish).

wind farms in Andalusia; wind farms in Catalonia, wind farms in Aragon, wind farms in Balears; wind farms in Basque Country; wind farms in Navarra; wind farms in Canarias; wind farms in Castilla y León; wind farms in Castilla-La Mancha; wind farms in Extremadura; wind farms in Madrid; wind farms in Murcia; wind farms in Valencia; wind farms in Andalucia

wind energy in Andalusia; wind energy in Catalonia, wind energy in Aragon, wind energy in Balears; wind energy in Basque Country; wind energy in Navarra; wind energy in Canarias; wind energy in Castilla y León; wind energy in Castilla-La Mancha; wind energy in Extremadura; wind energy in Madrid; wind energy in Murcia; wind energy in Valencia; wind energy in Andalucia

wind turbines in Andalusia; wind turbines in Catalonia, wind turbines in Aragon, wind turbines in Balears; wind turbines in Basque Country; wind turbines in Navarra; wind turbines in Canarias; wind turbines in Castilla y León; wind turbines in Castilla-La Mancha; wind turbines in Extremadura; wind turbines in Madrid; wind turbines in Murcia; wind turbines in Valencia; wind turbines in Andalucia

renewable energy in Andalusia; renewable energy in Catalonia, renewable energy in Aragon, renewable energy in Balears; renewable energy in Basque Country; renewable energy in Navarra; renewable energy in Canarias; renewable energy in Castilla y León; renewable energy in Castilla-La Mancha; renewable energy in Extremadura; renewable energy in Madrid; renewable energy in Murcia; renewable energy in Valencia; renewable energy in Andalucia