Could Offshore Wind be the Key to Help Spain Maintain its Natural Resources?

• Spain has reportedly used up its available natural resources for the year, a telling sign that the effects of climate change are becoming more apparent.
• Renowned heavy lifting firm Sarens has been active in the Spanish wind market for years, most notably completing projects in Cádiz and Gran Canaria, as the country looks to expand renewable energy production.

A recent report by the Global Footprint Network (GFN) revealed that Spain had already exceeded its available ecological resources for the year by the 25th of May. This date, which comes two days sooner than it did last year for Spain, is an indication of a looming issue in the overuse of resources that will only continue to negatively impact the planet.

The day in which a country passes its use of natural resources is called Earth Overshoot Day, and with many countries reaching their limit faster and faster each year, it’s clear that an investment must be made to reverse this trend. According to the GFN, the only chance to reverse the cycle that Spain and most countries around the world have found themselves in is to decrease their dependency on fossil fuels and invest in more sustainable energy sources.

To that end, Sarens, a global leader in cranes rental and heavy lifting, has dedicated much of its work over the past decade to renewable energy projects. Its expertise in the Spanish market is closely tied into wind farm installation projects, both on and offshore. Sarens recently completed projects in Cádiz and Gran Canaria, performing critical lifts of offshore jackets which are essential for the installation of new offshore wind turbines.

“In this industry, we’re constantly keeping a close eye on the market to align our business goals with growing industry sectors, and we have identified the floating offshore wind sector to be one of the most strategic areas of this decade. We’ve positioned ourselves as a reference with our vast experience in similar projects in order to best respond to the environmental crisis and support Spain in utilizing its available resources.” said Dimitri Laurent, Sales Manager of Sarens South Europe, LATAM and África.

After Iberdrola’s recent announcement to invest €1 billion in a Spain’s first floating offshore wind farm, it has become clear that Spain’s energy future will likely place a significant dependence on wind power.

Offshore Wind in Europe
In Europe, offshore wind has taken off in countries bordering the North Sea, namely the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands as these countries continue to add more capacity and propose new projects along their coasts. These countries serve as a reference point to Spain, which lags behind some of its European neighbors in the expansion of this technology.

This week, the Spanish Wind Business Association is holding its annual Spanish Wind Congress event, gathering leaders from top wind providers in Spain such as Naturgy, Siemens Gamesa, and Iberdrola. At the conference, keynote speakers will discuss the future potential of wind power in the Iberian peninsula, seeking to develop new solutions to delay the exhaustion of Spain’s natural resources.

Sarens and its partnering companies in the sector expect to see an increase in projects involving offshore and floating offshore wind in Spain due to the coastal shelf off the Spanish coast, and are poised to support the development and installation of new turbines and other renewable energy sources with a goal of slowing climate change.

About Sarens
Sarens is the global leader and reference in crane rental services, heavy lifting, and engineered transport. With state-of-the-art equipment, value engineering, one of the world’s largest inventories of cranes, transporters, and specialty rigging equipment, Sarens offers creative and intelligent solutions to today’s heavy lifting and engineered transport challenges.

With more than 100 entities in 65 countries operating without borders, Sarens is an ideal partner for small-scale to mega scale projects. Sarens currently employs 4,543 highly skilled professionals who are prepared to support any client’s requirements around the globe and across every market sector.