LAPSE:2020.0690
Published Article
LAPSE:2020.0690
Development of Offshore Wind Power: Contrasting Optimal Wind Sites with Legal Restrictions in Galicia, Spain
Santiago Salvador, Xurxo Costoya, Francisco Javier Sanz-Larruga, Luis Gimeno
June 23, 2020
The region of Galicia, in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, has a high wind potential for the installation of offshore wind farms (OWFs) in many areas of its surrounding marine waters. However, legal restrictions derived from the protection of other interests that converge in the marine environment (such as fishing, navigation, and biodiversity conservation) must be considered, along with technical limitations resulting from water depth. This study is aimed at analysing legal restrictions on the installation of OWFs in Galician waters and at identifying those zones of less conflict where the wind power density (WPD) is greater and the depths and distances from the coast are technically feasible given the current status of technology in Europe. To do this, a legal study was performed of both the strategic environmental assessment of the Spanish coast and the regulations of the different marine sectors at European, international, national, and regional levels. In addition, the WPD along the north-western area of the Iberian Peninsula and Europe was calculated, and an analysis of maximum and average depths and distances from the coast of planned and installed OWFs in Europe was made. Two main zones without legal and technical restrictions were identified in the north-eastern corner of Galicia and in the south of the Vigo estuary. The greatest WPD was identified in the north-western zone, from Cape Finisterre to Cape Ortegal, where there are small sites without legal or technical restrictions that are near several protected zones (such as a marine reserve, a special protected area, and a wetland and its buffer zone), making necessary a deeper analysis of the specific impacts of each OWF project in the Environmental Impact Assessment.
Keywords
coastal regions, European context, Iberian Peninsula, legal restrictions, marine environment, marine renewable energies, offshore wind farms, sea users, wind power density
Suggested Citation
Salvador S, Costoya X, Sanz-Larruga FJ, Gimeno L. Development of Offshore Wind Power: Contrasting Optimal Wind Sites with Legal Restrictions in Galicia, Spain. (2020). LAPSE:2020.0690
Author Affiliations
Salvador S: Environmental Physics Laboratory, Universidade de Vigo, Campus As Lagoas s/n, 32004 Ourense, Spain
Costoya X: CESAM, Physics Department, Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro 3810-193, Portugal
Sanz-Larruga FJ: Observatorio del Litoral de la Universidad de A Coruña, 15071 A Coruña, Spain [ORCID]
Gimeno L: Environmental Physics Laboratory, Universidade de Vigo, Campus As Lagoas s/n, 32004 Ourense, Spain
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Journal Name
Energies
Volume
11
Issue
4
Article Number
E731
Year
2018
Publication Date
2018-03-23
Published Version
ISSN
1996-1073
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Original Submission
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PII: en11040731, Publication Type: Journal Article
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LAPSE:2020.0690
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doi:10.3390/en11040731
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Jun 23, 2020
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CC BY 4.0
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Jun 23, 2020
 
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Jun 23, 2020
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Original Submitter
Calvin Tsay
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