Spanish utility Acciona and UK peer SSE Renewables have signed an exclusivity agreement to develop offshore wind projects in Spain and Portugal, and will jointly explore further potential markets for wind at sea.

“After successfully developing a leading global position in onshore wind and photovoltaic technologies, a partnership with SSE Renewables will allow us to accelerate our entry into the offshore wind market, where we also see great potential," said Rafael Mateo, chief executive of Acciona’s energy business unit.

The two companies said the 50-50 joint venture will combine Acciona’s strength as developer and operator of onshore wind and solar facilities with SSE Renewables’ experience in the development, construction and operation of some of the world’s leading offshore wind farms.

Offshore wind is still in its infancy in Spain and Portugal, with so far only a 5MW pilot installed off Gran Canaria, and the 25MW WindFloat Atlantic array of northern Portugal, which is also the Atlantic’s first floating wind array.

But several heavy-weights in the industry have started to eye the Iberian market, among them Portugal’s EDP Renewables (EDPR), which according to Spanish media reports plans a 144MW floating wind farm off the Canary Islands. EDPR has also formed a joint venture with French utility Engie called Ocean Winds that is based in Madrid and has ambitious expansion plans.

Acciona itself earlier this year had unveiled its OceanH2 project, that aims to build what would be the world’s first green hydrogen plant powered by floating wind and PV technologies at sea.

And renewables giant Iberdrola earlier this month said it is eyeing a plan to build Spain’s first utility-scale offshore wind farm as a 300MW floating array.

SSE, meanwhile, is part of a consortium to build the giant 3.6GW Dogger Bank offshore wind complex in the UK part of the North Sea. The company already has an operational offshore wind portfolio of 487MW, as well as an over 6GW offshore wind development pipeline across the UK and Ireland.

“I am delighted to be entering into this exclusivity agreement with Acciona,” SSE Renewables managing director Jim Smith said.

“Partnering with a well-established Spanish renewable developer will enable SSE Renewables to bring its offshore wind expertise to help Spain and Portugal achieve their ambition to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.

“It also demonstrates our intent to build our strong wind energy pipeline beyond the UK and Ireland.”

Wind

Acciona and SSE tie up for Spanish and Portuguese offshore wind