Norwegian power company Statkraft AS has decided to promote two wind farm projects in Spain’s Basque Country region alongside local construction and engineering cooperative Krean and open the development to public ownership.
Statkraft’s Spanish unit said that it has signed several agreements with Krean to devise legal and economic tools to involve citizens, local companies and public administrations in its 60.4-MW Itsaraz and the 33-MW Piaspe wind projects in Spain’s northern region.
These projects will entail investments of more than EUR 90 million (USD 94.9m). They are currently going through permitting, with a commissioning date expected to take place some time in 2027, Statkraft said.
The company said that it aims to promote a new renewables development model with Krean, with the goal of enabling the Basque society to become the owner of the wind farms and consumer of their electricity.
Krean will be in charge of getting the public acquainted with the projects. It will define possible ownership models for Basque industrial companies and promote energy communities for citizens around the two wind farms. Citizens will also have the opportunity to contribute their knowledge, experience and resources throughout the project development, the Norwegian power producer said.
“This marks the beginning of a new phase for wind power projects in the Basque Country. With Statkraft’s and Krean’s initiative, the projects seek to conduct dialogue and incorporate the society so that the impacts are appropriate, ownership is shared and consumption is local,” the statement reads.
Krean is part of Basque Country cooperatives federation Mondragon Corporation.
(EUR 1.0 = USD 1.055)
