News

7 October 2019

Best practice transfer: Spanish and Italian experts exchange on wind park repowering

Spanish WinWind Partners Ecorys and ACER successfully concluded a one-day site visit and transfer workshop for energy experts in Menorca on the topic of citizen wind farms.

 

On 4 October 2019, a delegation of 8 experts from Italy visited the island of Menorca to share their experiences on wind park repowering. The delegation included representatives from regional governments, research consultancies, regional and national energy agencies as well as energy companies. The visit took place as part of the transfer activities of the WinWind project.

 

In addition to the analysis of factors that hinder or promote acceptance, WinWind focuses on best practices to enhance acceptance and seeks to initiate transfers of positive examples. The objective of the event in Menorca was to provide a live exhibition and discussion around an established Italian good practice for improving social acceptance. The Italian good practice came from the region of Abruzzo, where they had successfully achieved high level of social acceptance of wind energy through the “repowering” of wind farms. A number of key actors and stakeholders from Abruzzo shared their experiences and successes to a group of local stakeholders and policy makers in Menorca who are involved with the management and coordination of the existing wind park in Es Mila.

 

In total, 20 people attended the event and plenty of presentations, discussions and group work took place, working towards a strategy on how to effectively transfer the good practice measure of repowering into the island of Menorca. The group was officially welcomed and hosted by the Insular Government of Menorca.

 

The workshop was followed by a site visit to the existing wind park in Es Mila, during which the participants had an opportunity to learn more about the challenges and potentials for further wind energy development in Menorca. The day was a great success, demonstrated by the fact that regional television broadcaster of the Balearic Islands reported the group’s site visit.