What is the future of the oldest wind farms?

Countries like Spain, Denmark or Germany, which were once pioneers in wind farms, now face the challenge of their useful life.

The year was1996When, for the first time in the history of Spain, the first wind farms appeared as an alternative source of electricity supply to the then predominant traditional power plants.

It was in Navarre, specifically in the Sierra de El Perdón mountain range, a popular spot for cyclists and hikers. There, after two phases of installation totaling 20 megawatts of installed capacity, thefirst wind turbinesThey were coming online, ushering in a new era in energy generation.

This pioneering project, developed by Acciona, has already gone throughmore than 20 years.And now is the time to put forward a strategy for the maintenance of theseparksWind power. Mainly because of the present, in which renewables, particularly wind power, are no longer new installations.

Wind problems shared with Germany and Denmark

Far from being a problem only ofSpainThis concern has also materialized in two other countries. At one time, as in the case of Spain, they were at the forefront of wind energy:Germany and Denmark.

And, as the Spanish Wind Energy Association (AEE) points out on its blog –somoseolicos.com-, By 2030, 50% of all wind farms installed in Europe will be [unclear – possibly “wind farms”].The hydroelectric plants, totaling 164 GW of power, will be in the same situation as El Perdón, reaching or exceeding 20 years of life.

This particularly affects Danish, German, and Spanish interests, as they have the oldest facilities and, logically, will once again be pioneers.

However, this time the focus is on regulation and research into their lifespan. The need is so great that by 2020 half of Spain’s generators will have exceeded 15 years, approaching the figure that, a priori, marks the end of their useful life.

HighForgivenesswhere the first wind turbines in the history of Spain can be seen

Wind turbine installations, designed to extend their lifespan

While the situation requires prompt action, especially regarding European legislation, the EEA points out that “the fact that, in many cases,the assets are in good operating condition-along with the lack of clear and uniform regulation on repowering across the continent- is leading the sector towards a natural trend: the extension of the lifespan of wind farms“.

This extension of their useful life can also translate, according to the association itself, into an increase in the performance of wind farms.

Thus, the developers estimate that in the case of a fifteen-megawatt wind farm, the efficiency could increase by up to two basis points.extend your life by 10 yearsThis would further enhance its competitiveness as a sustainable, renewable, and affordable energy source.

Furthermore, far from there being a technological barrier preventing the continued use of these veteran parks, the AEE points out that “Manufacturers with a presence in Spain have innovative solutions for extending product lifespan that they are already successfully implementing.“Something that is supported by companies like Siemens-Gamesa.”

II International Conference on the Life Extension of Wind Farms

Due to this situation, during the next few daysSeptember 19 and 20A meeting will take place inMadridin which the problems and possible solutions will be discussed.

Thus, during the “II International Conference on Wind Farm Life Extension“, which held its first edition last year, industry professionals will discuss topics such as:

• The very extension of the useful life of wind farms.
• The challenges this presents for the maintenance of wind turbines.
• Recycling components that are no longer valid.
• The economic and financial framework in which this entire process will take place.
• The possible solutions that the attendees bring up, among others.