Iberdrola increases wind power production in the region by 20%

13 Jun 2015

With its 1,450 megawatts installed, Castilla y León contributed 26.8% to the company.

Iberdrola increased the generation of electricity in its wind farms in Castile and Leon by 19.5% in May compared to the same period last year, reaching 301.2 million kilowatt hours (kWh). The company has installed capacity in the region exceeding 1,450 megawatts (MW), installed in 50 wind farms – 17 wind farms in Burgos; 4 in Leon; 6 in Palencia; 16 in Soria; 2 in Valladolid; 4 in Zamora and one in Salamanca.

Castile and Leon was the region that contributed the most wind power production to Iberdrola in May, accounting for 26.8% of the total wind power generation in Spain, which recorded 1,124 million kilowatts.

The company has invested more than 1.6 billion euros in the region since 2002, which in its opinion shows “its decisive role in making wind power the main reference in the development of clean energy and one of the drivers of the regional economy,” it said in a statement.

In Castilla y León, this area has its own workforce of 102 people, although it generates a large number of indirect jobs not only in the construction and start-up of its renewable facilities but also in the exploitation phase of the same, which is around 14 people for every 100 megawatts (MW) installed.

Native workers

Specifically, more than 90% of wind farm operators and indirect jobs created during their operation come from the municipalities where the facility was built, and almost half of the jobs created in Spain have been created in rural areas. Furthermore, these types of jobs require ongoing training due to the high technology with which wind farms are operated, thus generating quality jobs.

Throughout 2014, 91% of Iberdrola’s production in Spain was emission-free, thanks to the fact that 72% of all the power installed by the company in the country does not emit CO2.

Source: El Norte de Castilla