Wind Power in Spain

Meanwhile, Acciona is also developing a line of larger land-based turbines—three megawatts, versus 1.5 in the current line. The company has constructed the first prototype and is testing its performance.

One of the major challenges in developing larger turbines is that larger blades are brittle, and their size makes them almost prohibitively difficult to transport. One option is to create blades in sections that could be put together on the wind farm.

Another enduring challenge for wind power in general is how to capture energy during windy periods and store it for later use. The government of Galicia is exploring this question at Sotavento, an experimental wind farm it created in coöperation with a number of local and national companies. One project focuses on using wind power to split water into hydrogen and oxygen in an electrolyzer; the hydrogen can then be used in fuel cells. Acciona is involved in similar research; the company coördinates Wind-hy, a 1.5-megawatt utility-scale wind-hydrogen integration research project. Acciona plans to focus on producing hydrogen for use in fuel cells and transportation.

The largest turbine manufacturer in Spain, and the second largest in the world, remains Gamesa. The company began manufacturing turbines in 1995 and today heads a number of research and development projects in the European wind sector. One, called Reliawind, is aimed at optimizing wind systems; Gamesa is leading a coalition of 10 European partners in the venture and has invested 7.7 million euros (nearly $12 million).

“We want to develop the next generation of wind turbines,” says Ricardo Elorza, a spokesperson for Gamesa. “We want to reduce the cost of maintenance and build more efficient machines. Our goal is to finish Reliawind in 2010.”
Through its work with another European research project, Upwind, Gamesa is joining in efforts to develop larger turbines. The G10, an in-house prototype under development, will produce 4.5 megawatts. Researchers have been improving a control system that minimizes blade vibration and reduces blade load, making the system more efficient and better suited to use in a larger machine. Engineers are also developing a sectioned blade that can be delivered in parts and then reconstructed, thus overcoming the transportation challenge. In addition, researchers are refining a converter technology that will adapt to grid conditions in any country.

Like wind-farm operators, Spanish turbine manufacturers continue to expand their international presence. Gamesa sells turbines in more than 25 countries in North and South America, Europe, and Asia; it opened four new production centers in Pennsylvania in 2006. Acciona opened its first North American turbine production plant in Iowa in January 2008.