<strong>Milestone for Spanish offshore wind development</strong>

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Norway and Spain has a strong collaboration on offshore wind. This picture is from a visit by Norwegian Offshore Wind at the Canary Islands last fall. PHOTO: Arne Vatnøy/Norwegian Offshore Wind.

The Marine Space Management Plans (POEM) has today been approved by the Spanish government. That brings this market one step closer to a grand development of offshore wind.

In December 2021, the Spanish Government approved the Roadmap for the Development of Offshore Wind and Sea Energies, targeting up to 3 GW of floating offshore wind by 2030. Today the Marine Space Management Plans (POEM) was approved. The POEM defines which marine areas that is socially, environmentally and commercially feasible to develop in Spanish waters.

-This is a milestone on the road to a large Spanish development of floating offshore wind. 2023 will therefore be an important year for positioning the Norwegian supply chain in Spain, says Arvid Nesse, manager of Norwegian Offshore Wind.

The POEM paves the way for a regulatory framework, setting the scene for the first offshore wind tender in Spain. Based on the areas proposed in the plan, Galicia (3.2 GW), Catalunia (2.7 GW) and Gran Canaria (2.9 GW) are the regional hotspots in Spain. It is anticipated that the first auction will be conducted in Gran Canaria already this year.

In Norwegian Offshore Wind, the working group for the Spanish market will have targeted activities towards these regions in 2023.

-The industry in Norway has been paying close attention to the development in Spain. We have established a strong collaboration with authorities and industry clusters, and we are now working to bring Norwegian companies into specific projects in Spain, says Einar Tollaksvik, leader of the Spanish working group in Norwegian Offshore Wind.

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