Wind energy closes 2021 as the main source of electricity generation in Spain.

Red Eléctrica de España’s annual closing report estimates the share of wind energy in the Spanish energy mix at 23.3% and places the purely renewable contribution at 46.6% and the CO2-free contribution at 68.1%

With 2021 now a part of history, it’s time to take stock of the year from an energy perspective. Thus, Red Eléctrica de España (REE) published a report at the end of last month on the contribution of different sources to the Spanish energy mix; highlighting the contribution of wind energy, which reached 23.3% of the total thanks to a 9.9% growth compared to the previous year. This, together with the growth of photovoltaics, whose production increased by an impressive 37.7% compared to 2020, reaching 8.1% contribution to the energy pool, has contributed to renewable energies accounting for 46.6% of production during 2021.

Thus, the Spanish energy system, whose national demand stood at around 257,100 GWh (2.8% higher than in 2020 and which is beginning to show significant signs of recovering its health compared to pre-COVID-19 pandemic figures), is more renewable than ever. And 121,500 GWh, 9.9% more than in 2020, come from green generation sources, thus reaching its highest share in the generation structure since records began. Thus, wind power, with 23.3% of total production, is followed by nuclear energy, with 20.6% of electricity production; combined cycle, with 17.6%; hydropower, with an 11.3% share; cogeneration, reaching 10%; and solar photovoltaic, with 8.1%. To these should be added the electricity produced by coal. which is at its lowest historical data with a share of 1.9% after the closure of more than 800 MW of production capacity.

Taking into account criteria of electricity production free of greenhouse gas emissions – combining renewables and nuclear -, 68.1% of the total electricity produced in Spain during 2021 was free of CO2 emissions, also reaching a record figure.

The Spanish electricity generation park: mostly renewable

While the renewable electricity production figures are remarkable, the generation capacity figures are even more so. The report by Red Eléctrica de España indicates that 55.6% of the current generation park is entirely renewable. This has been helped by the addition of more than 2,800 new green MW (mainly wind and photovoltaic) to green electricity production capacity in 2021. Thus, solar photovoltaic has increased its production capacity by an impressive 19.8% in just one year (2,300 new MW); and wind power has done so by a significant 1.9% (thanks to 500 new MW). Today, installed capacity in Spain reaches 112,800 MW, 1.8% higher than the capacity recorded in 2020.