The wind energy It already occupies a central place in the transformation of the energy system. Its ability to generate renewable electricity on a large scale, reduce emissions, lower costs and reduce dependence on fossil fuels has made it a strategic technology for Spain and Europe. But its relevance is not measured only in megawatts, it is also played in the industry, in employment, in territorial balance and in the ability to reinforce energy autonomy.
Among the formulas that explain its potential, repowering stands out, a way that allows existing facilities to be modernized to produce more with fewer machines and with less impact. The replacement of old wind turbines with more powerful and efficient ones well summarizes one of the main virtues of wind energy, which is its ability to gain performance without multiplying the occupation of the territory.
Relationship with the territory
Wind repowering makes it possible to increase production with less environmental impact and better integration into the system, modernizing existing facilities, says María Landeira, head of development at Naturgy renewable projects in Galicia.
Galicia is one of the most representative examples. There, Naturgy was a pioneer in 2016 with the repowering of the Cabo Vilano park, in Camariñas, by replacing 22 wind turbines with only 2 and improving both production and the visual impact of the environment.
Today, the company is promoting three repowering projects in Galicia that will allow it to go from 172 wind turbines to 25, practically maintain the installed power and exceed 418 GWh annually, enough production to supply more than 120,000 homes.
To this modernization, Naturgy adds environmental restoration actions, improvements in substations and an investment of about 150 million euroswith funding from the EU-NextGenerationEU through the Circular Repowering Program managed by the IDAE.
The importance of wind energy cannot be explained without its relationship with the territory. Its deployment requires dialogue, integration and shared benefits with local communities. Therefore, the debate is not limited to how much energy it produces, but also how it coexists with the environment, what employment it generates and what value it leaves in the areas where it is implemented.
The figures in Spain
The figures, provided by the Business Wind Association (AEE)help to understand this strategic dimension. With more than 32,900 MW of accumulated powerwind power is already the first source of electricity generation in Spain and covers close to 24% of demand. They operate in the country 1,454 parks with 22,433 wind turbines capable of generating more than 59,300 GWh, a scale that places this technology as one of the decisive pieces of the new energy model.
That weight is also reflected on a global scale. The Installed wind capacity in the world now reaches 1,136 GW and Europe obtains a fifth of its electricity from the wind. In a context marked by geopolitical volatility and the need to reduce foreign energy dependence, wind energy gains value not only as a renewable source, but as a tool for security, competitiveness and industrial resilience.
Spain also starts from a unique position. It has a complete value chain, more than 37,000 professionals, 287 industrial centers and an export capacity that places it among the world leaders in the sector. This makes wind energy not only a climate solution, but also an industrial lever with a direct impact on the country’s competitiveness.
Despite this potential, the development of wind energy continues to be conditioned by administrative slowness. Spain installs around 1 GW per year, when the sector considers that around 4 GW per year would be needed to align deployment with energy objectives. More than 10 GW of very advanced projects already have Administrative Construction Authorization and could come into operation before 2029, while another 9.2 GW with a positive environmental declaration are still waiting for the next permit. The conclusion is clear, the importance of this technology contrasts with the difficulty of deploying it at the pace required by the transition. Spain has wind, experience and value chain. What it needs—now—is speed and certainty, stated Landeira at WindEurope 2026, one of the major international meetings of the wind sector held recently in Madrid.
From the wind farm to the classrooms
The relevance of wind power is also projected beyond electricity generation. In Guadalajara, the Luis de Lucena Secondary Education Institute and in Ferrol, the Ferrolterra Integrated Vocational Training Center have incorporated into their training the complete nacelle of a wind turbine dismantled during the repowering of the Novo wind farm, in Galicia, in an initiative promoted by Naturgy. The pieces will allow students to work with real technology and get closer to the conditions they will find in a sector with growing demand for specialized profiles.
Along with the transfer of the equipment, the initiative includes technical training for teachers and specialized support for the center, also from Naturgy. The gesture summarizes another of the keys of the sector, the energy transition not only needs installed capacity, but also talent, generational change and a long-term vision. In that sense, wind energy not only represents a way to produce clean electricity, but also an industrial, educational and territorial opportunity with lasting effects.