Wind & sun powered a record 40% of Spain’s electricity grid in April

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Wind and sun powered a record 40 per cent of the Spanish electricity grid in April as renewable energy was boosted by a breezy spring and rising installed capacity, a report from pro-renewable energy think tank Ember Climate said on Tuesday.

Wind farms supplied 26.2 per cent of the country’s electricity last month, while sun-powered plants supplied 14.1 per cent, Ember Climate said, citing data compiled from Spanish grid operator Red Electrica.

The green energy production benefited from strong winds during the month and a rising installed capacity. Wind-powered generation’s capacity rose 3.7 per cent from April 2021, while photovoltaic installed capacity rose by a hefty 26 per cent.

Nuclear power and gas-fired plants accounted for 21.6 per cent and 20.3 per cent respectively of electricity generated in Spain during the month, Ember Climate said.

Photovoltaic power plants operated at 25.2 per cent of their installed capacity while wind farms operated at 25.9 per cent, the report said.

The previous record of the share of sun and wind power in the country’s electricity mix was 38 per cent in May 2021.

With its sunny plains, fast-flowing rivers and windy hillsides, Spain targets getting 67 per cent of its electricity from renewables by 2026. Private companies from all over the world are investing in the country to build the infrastructure to reach that goal.

As part of its COVID-19 economic recovery plan, Spain will allocate some 6.9 billion euros ($7.8 billion) to renewables, green hydrogen and energy storage by 2023 and aims to attract another 9.45 billion euros in private funding.