Introduction
Ocean energy in Spain is having a late deployment in comparison with other countries with a similar ocean power potential, such as UK or Portugal. Nevertheless, activities involving ocean energy (basically wave power) have been growing steadily since 2005. This article sums up key activities for the development of ocean energy in Spain regarding policies, research & development, and demonstration projects.
Policies
Current Spanish legislation regards ocean energy in two Royal Decrees; one establishes the administrative procedure to apply for an authorization for electricity generation installations at sea, and the other one sets the feed-in tariff price, so that the specific tariff is negotiated for every individual project, depending on the investment cost.
Although there are no national targets at the moment, it is expected that ocean energy will be included in the future “2011-2020 Renewable Energy Plan” including targets and other supporting measures.
Regional Governments of several areas (The Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias, Galicia and the Canary Islands) are, on the other hand, promoting the installation of demonstration projects. Two of them have set targets on ocean energy so far: The Basque Country plans 5MW of installed power by 2010, and the Canary Islands consider 50 MW by 2015.
Spain joined international initiatives on ocean energy during 2008, being the most relevant IEA-OES, the Implementing Agreement on Ocean Energy Systems of the International Energy Association. TECNALIA, IEA-OES Spanish contracting party, is holding one of the two vice-chairs of IEA-OES.
Regarding standardisation issues, AENOR, the Spanish standardisation board, launched a national mirror group for the international committee IEC/TC 114 in June 2008. This group will work on the establishment of standards concerning marine energy, mainly for wave and water currents devices.
Research & Development
Public R&D investment at a national level is best represented by the PSE-MAR, a strategic research project that aims at developing three different wave energy converting technologies, a test and demonstration site and guidance on non technical issues. This project, coordinated by TECNALIA, is formed by three developers (HIDROFLOT, PIPO SYSTEMS and OCEANTEC) industrial companies, R&D centres and universities. In 2008, 3,5M€ have been allocated for the period 2008-2010.
Basque Country and Cantabria Governments intend to set up infrastructures in their coasts during next years to test different technologies of wave energy conversion. The Basque test facility will allow full-scale prototype testing and the installation of demonstration and pre-commercial wave power plants up to 20MW. This infrastructure (bimep, Biscay Marine Energy Platform) is expected to be in operation in 2010. Both Governments have also stockholding in wave energy projects under construction in their territory, which are mentioned further on.
In June 2008, IBERDROLA and TECNALIA announced an agreement to develop the Oceantec project, with the goal of putting into operation a wave energy device with high performance and at competitive cost. This initiative, which will stimulate industrial development in the Basque Country, will involve a joint investment of around €4.5 million with expectations that the device will be built and tested throughout 2009. The first stage of sea trials has started in September 2008 with the commissioning on the Basque coast of a quarter scale prototype.
Demonstration projects
Two demonstration projects are under construction currently and expected to be operational by 2009:
- Mutriku, Basque Country: Nereida Project in Mutriku (Basque Country), promoted by EVE, is an OWC (Oscillating Water Column) integrated in a breakwater and involves a 6M€ investment, 4M€ for civil work and the rest for electromechanic work and grid connection. The plant consists of 16 turbines, 18,5kW each, with an estimated overall power of 296kW.
- Santoña, Cantabria: IBERDROLA Energías Marinas de Cantabria S.A installed at sea in September 2008 the first OPT’s Powerbuoy of 40kW in Santoña (Cantabria) without grid connection. After finishing a testing stage with this buoy and a detail analysis of investment costs, a second phase could be tackled. This second stage would include the installation and grid connection of 9 buoys of 150kW each. The group that is developing this power plant is owned by IBERDROLA RENOVABLES (60%), TOTAL (10%), OPT (10%), IDAE (10%) and SODERCAN (10%). The budget for the first phase, which includes the electrical marine infrastructure, amounts to some €3 million.
Other private initiatives exist like Abencis Seapower, promoting the installation of a demonstration plant of its new on-shore technology, which expects to be operational in 2010. HIDROFLOT has announced the investment of 14 M€ to install an offshore 1,5MW wave power plant in Asturias with its multi-buoy platform technology. NORVENTO and Sea Energy are also studying the promotion of different wave power plants in Galicia. The local Government of Tenerife, in collaboration with other Spanish partners, is studying the possibilities of installing wave energy demonstration plants in Tenerife.
Short latest news
IEA-OES meeting in Bilbao and 3rd Seminar on Ocean Energy
The meetings to be held by the members of IEA-OES in Bilbao from 30 March to 1 April 2009 will provide an ideal backdrop for the third seminar on ocean energy organised by Ente Vasco de la Energía (EVE) and TECNALIA. This international seminar will examine the latest world-wide advances in devices for harnessing ocean energy (waves, tidal, etc.) and discuss other non-technological aspects that are also essential for developing this source and introducing it into the general supply system.
bimep
The project for the installation of a test and demonstration site offshore the Basque coast continues its progress; in January 2009, the application for authorization as an electric installation at the sea has been submitted. This authorization will allow the project to sell the generated electricity. The Environmental Impact Study has also been handed in and the application for the occupation of marine area.
In December, the connection point and conditions were granted, which ensures access to the grid and permission for the 20MW.
Mutriku OWC power plant
The wave energy plant in Mutriku is expected to be to be up and running by summer 2009, if some delays in relation with the final authorization are solved.
by EVE and TECNALIA.
