- This would be the first wind farm built by Endesa in Catalonia and one of the first to be awarded a favourable environmental impact statement (DIA) following the approval of Decree-Law 16/2019 on urgent measures for the climate emergency and the promotion of renewable energies of the Regional Government of Catalonia.
- The Galatea Wind Farm project envisages the installation of installed capacity of 49 MW and would generate 140 GWh/year, equivalent to satisfying the annual electricity consumption of half the homes in the district.
- Endesa has launched a financial instrument to encourage local participation in the construction of the park aimed at public bodies, individuals and legal entities of the municipalities of the Alt Empordà district.
Endesa, through its renewables division Enel Green Power España (EGPE), has been awarded a favourable Environmental Impact Statement (DIA) for the construction of the Galatea facility, Endesa's first wind farm in Catalonia.
The wind farm, which will entail investment of around 50 million euros, will be located in La Jonquera, outside the protected natural spaces of the area, and will evacuate the power generated through a power line to the Figueres substation. It will have an installed capacity of 49 MW and be able to generate around 140 GWh/year, equivalent to satisfying the annual electricity consumption of half the homes in Alt Empordà. In other words, this would prevent the emission of 116 thousand tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere.
The Galatea wind farm project has been planned since processing of the project began in 2020 with preventive environmental measures that will be coordinated with the General Directorate for the Environment of the Regional Government of Catalonia. These environmental measures include the analysis and monitoring of local birdlife, actions related to the facility's construction and integration into the landscape, as well as other measures to protect biodiversity.
Obtaining the favourable Environmental Impact Statement is one of the key requirements to securing the go-ahead for the construction and start-up of the wind farm. Construction work is expected to get underway early in 2024.
The development project for this plant will be accompanied by a Shared Value Creation Plan in Alt Empordà. The aim of this plan is to foster various sustainable initiatives during construction, operation and maintenance that generate local value: new job opportunities, social inclusion training, economic activity for the business fabric and preservation of the natural environment with the installation of elements for the protection of biodiversity.
In addition, Endesa has launched a specific proposal for local involvement so that individuals, businesses and public bodies in the district of Alt Empordà can participate in the financing of the construction of the Galatea Wind Farm, as established under Decree Law 24/2021 of the Catalan Government, which provides for the acceleration of the roll-out of distributed renewable energies in which a holding is retained. But the company wanted to go further and has designed a financial instrument that represents an investment opportunity for the residents of the district.
The company currently has two wind farms in service in Catalonia, in la Conca de Barberà. It is also processing a portfolio of renewable energy production projects amounting to over 500 MW, all of which are planned using the same model of integration and collaboration with the region, as has been done with hydroelectric production in Catalonia.
About Endesa
Endesa is the largest electricity company in Spain and the second largest in Portugal. The company is also the second largest gas operator in the Spanish market. Endesa operates an end-to-end generation, distribution and marketing business. Through Endesa X it also offers value-added services aimed at the electrification of energy usage in homes, companies, industries and Public Administrations. A new business line has also been created, Endesa X Way fully dedicated to electric mobility. Endesa is firmly committed to the United Nations SDGs and strongly supports the development of renewable energies through Enel Green Power España, the digitalisation of grids through e-distribution, and corporate social responsibility (CSR). The Endesa Foundation is also active in CSR-related matters. Our workforce numbers around 9,260 employees. Endesa is a division of Enel, the largest electricity group in Europe.