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Capital Energy progresses with the development of two new wind farms in Cantabria: Alsa and Bustafrades

By: Capital Energy · 01 Sep 2021

The Council for Industry, Tourism, Innovation, Transport and Trade of the regional Government presents both renewable energy facilities for public consultation

  • Their commissioning and their associated electricity evacuation infrastructures, located in the municipal districts of San Miguel de Aguayo, Molledo, San Pedro del Romeral, Luena and Arenas de Iguña, will entail an investment of close to €95 million.
  • Alsa and Bustafrades will have a joint installed power of 69.5 MW and will supply clean energy to some 60,000 Cantabrian homes, preventing the emission of more than 44,000 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere per year.
  • Their construction will create around 390 jobs and will have an annual financial impact on the local coffers, and also through leasing agreements, of around €285,000.

Santander, 1st September 2021.- Capital Energy, a Spanish energy company founded in 2002 with the aim of becoming the first vertically-integrated 100%-renewable energy operator on the Iberian Peninsula, continues in the establishment of its renewable energy project in Cantabria.

The General Directorate of Industry, Energy and Mines of the Council for Industry, Tourism, Innovation, Transport and Trade of the regional Government has presented for public consultation the applications for authorisation[1] of two new wind farms, Alsa and Bustafrades, the setting up and commissioning of which will entail an investment of close to €95 million. These renewable energy facilities will be located in the municipal districts of San Miguel de Aguayo, Campoo de Yuso, Molledo, San Pedro del Romeral, Luena and Arenas de Iguña and they will have a joint installed power of 69.5 megawatts (MW).

Thanks to their 15 wind turbines, Alsa and Bustafrades will be capable of supplying around 184,600 megawatt hours (MWh) of clean energy per year, enough to provide for the consumption of more than 60,000 Cantabrian homes, and preventing the annual emission of more than 43,000 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere.

Construction of these two wind farms and their associated electricity evacuation infrastructures will lead to the creation of close to 390 jobs during peak periods. Capital Energy will also provide permanent jobs for around 14 local professionals during the operations and maintenance stage.

These facilities will also have an annual financial impact on local coffers (Property Tax and Economic Activity Tax), as well as with lease agreements, of around €285,000. The one-off payment for the tax on construction, installations and building works (ICIO), exceeding €1.5 million, is also added to this recurring sum.

  • Bustafrades wind farm:

 It will be located in the municipal districts of San Pedro del Romeral, Luena, Arenas de Iguña and Molledo, and its construction will entail an investment of over €62 million. Its 11 wind turbines, with 4.5 MW unit power, will have a joint capacity of 49.5 MW and will be capable of producing over 141,600 MWh, equivalent to the electricity consumption of close to 45,000 homes. This wind farm will prevent the annual emission of more than 30,000 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere.

  •  Alsa wind farm:

Located in the municipalities of San Miguel de Aguayo, Campoo de Yuso and Molledo, its construction will entail an investment of almost €33 million. It will have four 5 MW wind turbines for a total installed power of 20 MW, which will generate almost 43,000 MWh. This production will be able to provide clean electricity to around 15,000 homes, preventing the annual emission of more than 13,000 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere.

A commitment to the socio-economic and sustainable growth of Cantabria

Cantabria is a key region in Capital Energy’s clean energy project. The company has 17 renewable energy projects in the community, all of them involving wind and jointly providing an installed power of close to 690 MW. The commissioning of this entire portfolio could entail a global investment of approximately €552 million, as well as the creation of around 3,900 jobs during the construction stage and close to 130 permanent jobs during the operation and maintenance stage.

The project locations, in 28 municipalities, were chosen after performing a multi-criteria analysis of all variables involved (environmental, technical, town zoning, heritage, social, etc.) and after an extensive bibliographic review of all current legislation and regulations.

In alignment with its commitment to boost the socioeconomic development of all regions where it carries out activities, Capital Energy is already hiring the services of numerous local companies and organisations, mainly consultants, such as Adra Ingeniería y Gestión del Medio, Ambium Consultores, BHS Consultores Ambientales, University of Cantabria or Rizoma. Therefore, many of these companies are increasing their staff in order to provide the required services.

Capital Energy has also joined the initiative Cantabria Smart Rural Territory. The objective of this platform is to use land resources and technology to create innovative ecosystems for sustainable development that efficiently manage infrastructure and provide new services to citizens, creating jobs, boosting entrepreneurship and attracting talent to the territory. The company has also partnered with Cantabria Sostenible, that is promoting in the region a model for democratised solutions and seeks to generate ecosystems based on sustainable transformation, and with the Fundación Laboral de la Construcción y Fundación Laboral del Metal (Construction Labour Foundation and Metal Labour Foundation). It also participates in the Regional Hydrogen Platform of Cantabria (PH2C).

For Capital Energy, the Cantabrian model is a perfect example of the necessary union between sustainable development and digitalisation, which are pillars of its corporate strategy. The company believes that this collaborative focus between different agents will help to maximise the opportunities of the new operating and business models, providing a response to the challenges of each region with pull-through projects that ensure their environmental, economic and social sustainability.

A portfolio of more than 35 GW on the Iberian Peninsula

In line with its commitment to a green and fair energy transition, Capital Energy currently has a portfolio of wind and solar projects in the Iberian Peninsula with around 35 gigawatts (GW) of capacity, of which more than 8.7 GW have already received network access grants.

Thanks to the launch of its retail arm in the final quarter of 2020, Capital Energy reached its strategic aim of being present on the entire renewable energy value chain: from development, where, given its 20-year history, the Company has a consolidated position, to construction, production, storage, operation and supply.

The aim of the Company, which has more than 380 employees distributed throughout 15 offices in Spain and Portugal, is to deliver to the end consumer the 100%-renewable energy already being produced at its facilities.

[1]Prior Administrative Authorisation and Environmental Impact Statement.