Almeria could soon generate all its electricity needs from wind

    With projects in progress to install eight new wind farms in Almeria, by this time next year Almeria's capacity to generate electricity from wind power will outstrip its power demand. Currently there are nine wind farms operating in the province which it is estimated will produce 530,640 megawatts per hour each year, equivalent to the power consumption of a population of 343,000 people – that is about half the population of Almeria. With construction of eight new wind farms the province should be able to generate from the wind virtually all the energy its 660,000 population needs.

    Andalucia is the region with the greatest growth in installation of wind farms; 2007 saw an increase over the previous year of 140 per cent in the electricity generated form wind. In Spain as a whole wind generated power increased by 30 per cent from 2006 to 2007. In our province the area of Seron-Tijola is where most wind generated electricity is produced with almost 245 megawatts coming from four wind farms. There are a total of 260 wind turbines in Almeria each with the potential to meet the energy needs of more than 550 households.