Spain to hold 3.3 GW renewables auction in November

From pv magazine Spain

Spain's Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (Miteco) has revealed that it will hold a 3.3 GW renewable energy auction in November.

The Spanish government expects to allocate 1.8 GW of solar and 1.5 GW of wind power. The successful PV projects must be built within two years and will be awarded 12-year power purchase agreements (PPAs).

The auction is the fourth tender in the Régimen Económico de Energías Renovables (REER) procurement scheme. As in the previous renewable energy auctions, successful bidders will have to present a strategic plan, with an estimated impact on local employment and the supply chain. It will be published on the Miteco website.

In the first two auctions, held in January and October 2021, Miteco assigned 2.90 GW of solar and 3.25 GW of wind capacity. The second auction awarded a total of 3.12 GW, or 95% of the 3.3 GW on offer. About 2.258 GW went to wind projects, and 866 MW to solar, at an average price of €30.56 ($31.07)/MWh. The auction marked the first time in history in which solar did not cover all of the offered capacity.

Through the third auction, launched in December, the Spanish authorities aim to allocate 500 MW of renewable energy capacity, including 200 MW of concentrated solar power, 140 MW of distributed solar, 140 MW of biomass, and 20 MW for other minor clean energy technologies.