Reinvigorating existing clean energy projects is a process renovation to replace parts of a system with the aim of optimizing them energetically and technically. The idea is to extend the life of a renewable asset, produce a greater amount of energy than before and improve its efficiency.
Repowering wind farms consists of replacing the old turbines with new, more modern and more powerful wind turbines. In this way, renewed added value is generated at the same location and the energy performance of the system is increased.
More modern and efficient turbines
RWE promotes the expansion of renewable energy sources in Spain with the decision to invest in the Muel repowering project. The wind farm, located near Zaragoza, in the autonomous community of Aragon, is one of the first projects in this region to undergo such an extensive modernization program.
Se They will dismantle 27 wind turbines with a total capacity of 16.2 megawatts (MW) and will be replaced by three modern 6.6 MW turbines with a total capacity of 19.8 MW. Work will begin next spring with the dismantling of the old facilities, after which the new turbines will be installed. They are expected to be fully operational by the end of 2025. A power purchase agreement has been signed with an unnamed buyer.
This project receives funding from the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism, established by Regulation (EU) 2021/241 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 February 2021, through the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan – Funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU.
Robert Navarro, president and CEO of RWE Renewables Iberia, commented: “The need to revive onshore wind energy in Spain is significant, given the country’s vast wind energy resources and the aging infrastructure of many parks. The Repowering these facilities will significantly increase energy productionwhile reducing the footprint on land. The 27 wind turbines of the Muel wind farm have been in operation for 26 years. Now we are replacing them with three state-of-the-art turbines and at the same time increasing the installed power. “This shows how important repowering can be for the effective expansion of renewable energy sources in Spain.”
By 2030, Spain will have approximately 20 gigawatts (GW) of wind energy with a lifespan of more than 20 years. Of these 20 GW, approximately 10 GW will be the Active for 25 years, which offers interesting repowering possibilities. This type of project is therefore an important opportunity for Spain to increase renewable energy production, while reducing the environmental impact of the projects and improving integration into the electrical system thanks to modern, more powerful turbines.