Renewable energy developer and operator SSE Renewables has started construction in Santa Engracia del Jubera (La Rioja) of what will be its first wind power project in Spain. With a capacity of 64 megawatts peak, this paves the way for a portfolio that already totals 320 megawatts in its latest stage of development.

Including projects in the early stages, the British company already has 1.1 gigawatts of capacity in Spain at present, making this its largest portfolio in southern Europe. Its solar and wind projects in the south of the continent will ensure a total future capacity of 2.4 gigawatts.

Job creation
Construction of the Jubera project will take around two years to complete, so it is expected to be commissioned by the end of 2025, with a useful life of around 30 years. It will have a total of 11 wind turbines, the assembly of which will lead to around 200 full-time jobs, both direct and indirect, being created.

SSE's Spanish portfolio includes solar and onshore wind projects in La Rioja, Castile and León, Aragón, Catalonia and Andalusia. In addition, the company has signed an agreement with Acciona Energía to seek new offshore wind energy opportunities in Spain. In Spain, it has a team of 15 people working on its growth plans from its offices in Madrid, Bilbao, Zaragoza, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santiago de Compostela.

Testamont to hard work
SSE Renewables' Director of Onshore Renewables in Europe, Finlay McCutcheon, says the start of construction in La Rioja is a significant event, because “it is testament to the hard work that has been carried out” over the past year: “We are actively pressing forward to implement a portfolio of projects totalling 320 megawatts, all in advanced stages of development in Spain, and are working hard to bring construction forward in a timely manner to help meet the country's ambitious renewable energy goals”.

SSE Renewables' Country Manager for Spain, Juan Barreiro, is in turn very pleased with the start of the project, describing it as “a very important milestone for the company in this country, which also demonstrates our commitment to bringing renewable energy to as many Spanish households as possible. Our goal is to be a key player in Spain and to lead the net-zero transition by developing, investing in, constructing and operating renewable energy.”

^{Photo: SSE Renewables}