Capital Energy signs an agreement with the Canary Islands shipyard, Hidramar

The energy company seeks to maintain, in offshore wind energy in 2030, the same market share that it has today in the processing of onshore wind energy projects   

• Capital Energy has signed a third MOU in the Canary Islands, this time with Hidramar, with a view to using its port facilities and the different services it provides to handle the needs coming from the future construction of offshore wind farms 
• This cooperation agreement, with an extendable 5-year duration, considers the following aspects, among others: the manufacture of floating foundations, the assembly of foundations with wind turbines, the storage of all kinds of components and the transport of personnel and materials, in addition to construction of the O&M base 
• The agreement, which comes on top of those signed in October with the main shipyards of Gran Canaria, responds to Capital Energy’s commitment to developing the territories where it carries out its business activity and endorses Capital Energy’s dedication to this community, which it considers to be strategic for developing offshore wind energy in Spain 

Tenerife, 29 November 2021. Energy, a Spanish energy company originating in 2002 and aspiring to become the first 100%-renewable, vertically-integrated electrical company on the Iberian Peninsula, continues to strengthen its emergence in the incipient sector of off-shore wind energy in Spain, specifically in the Canary Islands. 

The renewable energy company has just signed its third strategic cooperation agreement (MOU) with the Canary Islands shipyards group, Hidramar Group, whereby the latter company will place not only its port facilities at the disposal of Capital Energy but also the various services it provides in order to handle the needs coming from the future construction of offshore wind farms on the archipelago. 

This agreement, with an extendable 5-year duration, considers various aspects, including the manufacturing, commissioning and launching of floating foundations and anchoring systems, the assembly of wind turbines and the storage of all types of components that are necessary for the construction of an offshore wind farm: wind turbines, floating foundations, anchoring systems, underwater electrical cables and their accessories, etc. 

Furthermore, Capital Energy has agreed with the Hidramar Group that its shipyards located on Tenerife and Las Palmas could take over the necessary offshore logistics during the construction phase, including the transport of personnel/materials, security ships, flotels, etc. Finally, it will be able to provide operations and maintenance services, including the construction and operation of the O&M base, as well as conduct technical inspections of the wind farm. 

The MOU now signed with the Hidramar Group succeeds those signed one month ago by the renewable energy company with two other Canary Islands shipyards. All these framework agreements, which respond to Capital Energy’s commitment to the industrial fabric of the regions where it carries out its business activities, endorse the company’s commitment to this autonomous community, which it considers to be strategic for the development of offshore energy. 

In this regard, Capital Energy will continue to maintain contact and propitiate the signing of agreements with local public administrations, companies and groups that could benefit from the driving force that it plans to apply through its activity on the Canary Islands. 

Juan José Sánchez, CEO of Capital Energy, has assured that “we will attempt to harmonize our contribution to the progressive decarbonising of the economy – through the development of renewable energies – with promotion of the economic and social development of all the territories where we operate, as it is clearly shown by the signing of this agreement with such a relevant Canary Island company, which will serve to drive our project in the offshore wind energy sector.” 

In turn, Jonathan Pérez, CEO of Hidramar Shipyards, pointed out that the “objective of the Hidramar Group is to take advantage of our experience and sustained growth in order to take on the European challenge of decarbonisation of the economy. At our Tenerife Shipyards and Hidramar Shipyards, not only are we committed to forming a part of the value chain for decarbonisation of the naval industry, we are already also working on major projects for the offshore energy industry, such as floating structures. Our experience, our automated facilities and a strategic location in the mid-Atlantic guarantee a promising future in the clean energy sector and are helping to drive economic and social development in our community on Tenerife and Gran Canaria”. 

Breaking into the Spanish offshore wind energy sector 

Capital Energy, the winning bidder of the two renewable energy auctions organised this year by the Miteco (Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge) – in which approximately 2,200 megawatts (MW) were awarded – is now seeking, in light of the government’s commitment to this clean energy technology, to develop a portfolio of several gigawatts for the purpose of maintaining an offshore wind energy market share that is similar to what it has in the onshore wind projects that are under way in Spain. 

According to forecasts, by 2030 Spain could have an operating capacity of up to 3 gigawatts (GW) in offshore wind energy. Within this context, Capital Energy is striving to implement a minimum of 750 MW of power. The development and construction that this involves would mean, at current prices, an investment of over 3.5 billion euros over the next decade. 

It should be recalled that the origins of Capital Energy are closely linked to offshore wind energy and that, specifically in 2005, it had already submitted an ambitious and pioneering plan for the development of this cutting-edge technology to the Directorate General of Energy Policy and Mines of the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Commerce, which considered the possibility of developing an offshore project portfolio amounting to 1,800 MW. The company is currently analysing how this entire portfolio could fit within the new regulatory framework, while at the same time continuing to advance in the search for new sites that are technically and economically viable. 

About Hidramar  

The Hidramar Group is a Spanish holding company that operates two shipyards on the Canary Islands – Tenerife Shipyards and Hidramar Shipyards – on Tenerife and Gran Canaria, respectively. 

Both shipyards are located in the Free Trade Zone, with a strategic position in the mid-Atlantic Ocean, where maritime routes connect from three continents (Europe, Africa and America). The Hidramar Group actively supports all the main petroleum and gas drilling contractors and their OEMs. 

We have obtained powerful MODU updates and have repair knowledge, including SPS, in addition to projects through integrated planning with OEM customers.  

About Capital Energy 

In line with its commitment to the Green and Fair Energy Transition, Capital Energy currently has a portfolio of wind and solar energy projects on the Iberian Peninsula amounting to approximately 35 gigawatts (GW) of power, for which over 8.7 GW already have grid access licences granted. 

Thanks to the launch of its retailing arm, in the last quarter of 2020 Capital Energy reached its strategic objective of being present throughout the entire renewable energy generation value chain: from promotion, where the company has a consolidated position thanks to its nearly 20-year history, to construction, production, storage, operation and supply. The company has 390 employees distributed throughout 16 offices located in Spain and Portugal.