Equinor and Naturgy Launch Floating Wind Project Offshore Spain

Spain’s Naturgy and Equinor have unveiled the 200 MW Floating Offshore Wind Canarias (FOWCA) project located in the maritime area of ​​eastern Gran Canaria.

The FOWCA project, which would be connected to the Barranco de Tirajana substation of Red Eléctrica Española, will be developed using semi-submersible floating platform technology that, among other advantages, allows the installation of structures farthest from the coast, Naturgy said.

According to the study commissioned from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, it is estimated that the project could generate more than 2,500 jobs in all its phases, including direct, indirect, and induced jobs.

The wind farm would also reduce CO2 emissions equivalent to 350,000 cars per year.

The companies aim to compete with the FOWCA project in Spain’s first offshore wind auction.

The first offshore wind auction in Spain is expected to take place in the Canary Islands, since the region offers excellent wind conditions, Naturgy said.

Likewise, the Islands have a shipyard industry that could transform its activity from oil platforms to platforms for marine renewable energies, since part of the manufacturing and assembly could be carried out in local shipyards.

The objective of Naturgy and Equinor is to take into account all social, environmental, and economic sensitivities. The two companies said that they consider that the coexistence, compatibility, and cooperation of marine renewable energies with biodiversity and with other marine sectors is essential to implement a project of these dimensions.

To do this, the companies will present FOWCA to various fishermen’s associations and other social entities this week in order to establish a dialogue with them that will allow the project to be adapted to the needs of the island.

The delegate of Naturgy Renovables in the Canary Islands, Sergio Auffray, and Equinor’s development director for Spain, Javier Díez, have already presented the alliance of the two energy companies in the framework of a business conference organized by the Canary Islands Maritime Cluster and the Federation Canarian Port Companies (FEDEPORT).

Equinor and Naturgy sealed an agreement earlier this year to work together in the analysis of opportunities for the development of offshore wind power in Spain. Both companies intend to take advantage of their complementary capabilities to develop this technology, which has great potential in Spanish waters.

In this alliance, the Spanish energy company will contribute its experience in the development of onshore wind power in our country and the Norwegian company will contribute with its proven capabilities in offshore floating technology.

The ‘Roadmap for offshore wind power and energy in the sea’, approved by the Spanish Government, provides for the development of up to 3 GW of offshore wind power by 2030. The government is currently working on defining the Development Plans for the Maritime Space (POEM), the next step in developing capacity auctions.

Spain plays a key role in the offshore wind power supply chain in the rest of Europe and Equinor has a long history of collaboration with the Spanish industry, Naturgy said. Key components such as the floating substructures, towers, and mooring systems for Equinor’s Hywind Scotland floating wind farm were manufactured in Spain.

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