en.Wedoany.com Reported - The 40 MW Labraza wind farm has received its first turbine blades, entering the final phase of construction. Located in the municipality of Oyón-Oion in Álava, the wind farm is being promoted by Iberdrola and EVE (Basque Energy Agency) and will become the first wind farm to enter operation in the Basque Country since 2006. On Thursday, the Basque Government's Minister for Industry, Energy Transition and Sustainability, Mikel Jauregi, visited the site alongside Julio Castro, CEO of Iberdrola Renovables Energía.
The 8 blades are being transported to the site by two large cranes. This transport solution, named "Blade Lifter," uses the blades' tilt angle to reduce transport difficulty and impact along the route. Alternative routes have been enabled during the operation for surrounding towns and villages to use throughout the several-week transport period. A few weeks ago, the remaining components, including the nacelles, arrived via the same route. The nacelle is the protective housing atop the tower, equivalent to the "heart" of the turbine.
Equipment manufacturing for the project is concentrated among companies in the Basque wind power supply chain: Siemens Gamesa is supplying 8 turbines with a unit capacity of 5 MW, the gearboxes are manufactured at the Asteasu plant, and the substation is being handled by EDS Ingeniería y Montaje, based in Galdakao.
The construction phase will create up to 90 jobs, with priority given to local hiring. Once operational, the wind farm will generate 99,679 MWh of electricity annually, supplying renewable energy to 30,000 households and avoiding 16,300 tonnes of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere each year.
For the surrounding area, the developers have arranged several benefits for residents and businesses: electricity tariffs will be reduced for residents of Labraza and Barriobusto, local businesses can sign PPAs (long-term fixed-price electricity contracts), and the economic growth opportunities can be leveraged to attract companies seeking to decarbonize their industrial operations. The wind farm construction will bring approximately €1.2 million in one-off revenue to municipal finances, as well as recurring income of around €230,000 per year from taxes and royalties.
The crowdfunding loan financing was oversubscribed. The offering provided €3 million in financing, and subscription applications submitted by residents of Álava were more than double the original target, with actual applications exceeding €6.5 million. By source of applications, 60% of the crowdfunding loans came from Rioja Alavesa; applications from residents of Labraza, Barriobusto and Oion together totaled €1.1 million, exceeding one-third of the total crowdfunding amount (€3 million). These towns are located in the priority investment zone closest to the wind farm, ensuring resident participation rights.
The Labraza wind farm is the first wind project in the Basque Country in 20 years, with a total investment of €56 million, of which Iberdrola contributes 75% and the Basque Energy Agency (Ente Vasco de la Energía, EVE) contributes 25%. The project is one of the first actions by Basque electricity companies and the Basque Energy Agency to promote new renewable energy projects locally. The project has been declared a project of public interest by the Territorial Balance and Land Planning Department of the Provincial Council of Álava (Diputación Foral de Álava-Arabako Foru Aldundia).
