Spain's Big Problem: Green Energy Can Exceed Demand

The patchwork plains of Castilla-La Mancha, in central Spain, were once known for their windmills. But now it is wind turbines, their modern-day equivalent, which are much more visible on the region’s skyline, Guy Hedgecoe reported for BBC News.

Spain is the EU member state with the second-largest renewable energy infrastructure after Sweden.

Operated by Spanish firm Iberdrola, they are part of a trend that has accelerated Spain’s renewable energy output over the past half-decade, making the country a major presence in the industry.

Spain’s total wind generation capacity, its prime renewable source in recent years, has doubled since 2008.

Solar energy capacity, meanwhile, has increased by a factor of eight over the same period. The government also introduced ambitious targets, including covering 81% of Spain’s electricity needs with renewables by 2030.

Spain is the EU member state with the second-largest renewable energy infrastructure after Sweden. Spain's Socialist Workers' Party prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, described his country as "a driving force of the energy transition on a global scale."

The boom began soon after the arrival of a new government under Sánchez in 2018, with the removal of regulatory obstacles and the introduction of subsidies for renewable installation.

The pandemic further accelerated the trend on a domestic level.