Iberdrola España obtains environmental permit for its first repowering in Spain

• This is the environmental permit for the Molar de Molinar EP in Castilla - La Mancha.
• The company will repower two onshore wind farms in the region from 139 wind turbines to 22.
• The repowering involves replacing the old turbines with more modern, more powerful turbines equipped with the latest technology.

Iberdrola España takes another step towards the energy transition and has obtained the environmental permit for its first repowering in Castilla-La Mancha - PE Molar del Molinar. It is also continuing with the process to repower another onshore wind farm in Castilla-La Mancha, which will reduce the number of wind turbines installed in the region by 117 and increase the energy production of the facilities by an average of 30%. The machines used in the repowering will have a unit power that is up to six times that of the first wind turbines installed in Spain more than two decades ago.

Generate more wind energy, maximize energy production and increase the efficiency of the wind farm: that is what repowering is all about. The process involves replacing old turbines with more advanced and powerful ones. They will produce more energy than the old ones, so fewer will be needed. In addition, there will be less impact on the landscape, which will make a significant contribution to the efficiency and sustainability of energy generation.

With this action, Iberdrola España is moving closer to decarbonisation. In Castilla-La Mancha, the wind farms that will benefit from the repowering are located in the province of Albacete. Commissioned in 2001, the 49.5 MW Molar de Molinar, which supplies 29,500 homes with clean energy, will have 11 4.5 MW Vestas wind turbines, 64 fewer than the current 75 of 660 kW. 

In turn, the 48 MW Isabela wind farm will go from 64 750 kW wind turbines to 11 Vestas turbines: six 4.5 MW and five 4.2 MW turbines. In total, 26,000 families can use emissions-free energy thanks to this wind farm. 

The projects are expected to have an impact on the national economy both in terms of dismantling, with the contracting of the company Invenergy Huso from A Coruña for the PE Molar del Molinar, and in terms of construction, with companies such as the Marco Group (Huesca) and Vázquez y Reino (A Coruña) for EPC (engineering, procurement and construction), and Tecinsa from Salamanca for the construction of both substations. 

In addition, during construction it will rely on local companies and labour, contributing to the local economy, such as Sidys from Albacete for the dismantling of the PE Isabela or the manufacture of the wind turbine blades, in Daimiel, Ciudad Real. The initiative is part of the first call for grants under the Circular Repowering programme, awarded by the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge through the Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IDAE). In total, these two facilities were granted €22.71 M.