Spain is a global leader in the wind energy sector, both in equipment manufacturing and in power generation. With 27.5 GW of onshore installed capacity, it ranks fifth in the world, behind only China, the United States, Germany and India. Furthermore, the country has a robust shipbuilding industry, a well-established maritime and port sector, and outstanding technological and engineering capabilities, which have positioned it as a key international player in the offshore wind value chain.
However, the complex and rugged topography of its seabed has hindered the deployment of technologies based on fixed foundations. In this context, floating offshore wind is emerging as both a solution and a strategic opportunity to reinforce Spain’s leadership in the sector, not only as a logistics hub but also as a power-generating force contributing to the country’s decarbonisation and industrial development.
The Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC) aims to reach 50 GW of installed wind power capacity by 2030, including both onshore and offshore installations. In line with the current development of floating technology, the Roadmap for Offshore Wind and Marine Energy in Spain sets a target of between 1 and 3 GW for this technology by the end of the decade. However, some industry experts consider it more likely that the first installations will not come online until at least 2032 or 2033.
The main regulatory elements that will facilitate the deployment of this technology in Spain are set out below.
Zoning for the siting of offshore wind installations in Spain
Spain has carried out a planning exercise to delineate the areas of maritime space in which offshore wind energy facilities may be located. In this context, Royal Decree 150/2023 of 28 February stands out, approving the maritime spatial planning schemes for the five Spanish marine regions.
These plans identify the so-called High Potential Areas for Offshore Wind Energy Development (ZAPER). In total, around 5,000 km² suitable for hosting offshore wind farms have been designated in four of the five zones: North Atlantic, Strait and Alboran, Levantine-Balearic and Canary.
Meanwhile, the South Atlantic zone, situated in the south-west of the Iberian Peninsula and covering the Spanish waters of the Gulf of Cádiz, has been excluded from offshore wind development. Although it offers a potentially attractive resource, the intense military activity in the area significantly limits the possibility of establishing such installations.
Royal Decree 962/2024 of 24 September, regulating the production of electricity from renewable sources in offshore installations
Another key regulation for the development of floating offshore wind power is Royal Decree 962/2024, which regulates the competitive tendering procedure for the deployment of offshore renewable energy installations. This stipulates that projects must be located in areas previously designated as ZAPERs and that only the successful bidders in this procedure may commence the administrative process.
The outcome of this process not only enables the project to proceed but also grants significant rights: access to the renewable energy tariff scheme, the reservation of access capacity at the relevant transmission network node, and priority in the granting of the right to occupy the maritime-terrestrial public domain necessary for the installation of the facility.
Following the approval of Royal Decree 962/2024, two ministerial orders remain to be published to complete the regulatory framework. The first will establish the regulatory framework for the competitive tendering procedure, whilst the second will launch that procedure.
The prior public consultation for the order approving the rules for the first competitive tendering procedure for offshore wind farms
In February 2026, the Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge launched a public consultation with the aim of defining the basis for the competitive tendering procedure that will govern the development of offshore wind farms in Spain, within the framework of Royal Decree 962/2024. This consultation addresses key issues such as the selection of ZAPER zones and the capacity to be auctioned, the configuration of the wind farms, the participation requirements and the criteria for evaluating bids (including economic, environmental, industrial, social and innovation aspects), as well as the design of the economic regime, implementation deadlines, risk management mechanisms and guarantees for decommissioning at the end of the installations’ useful life.
With this process, Spain takes a further step towards launching the first competitive tendering procedures and the effective start of offshore wind project development in the country. In this regard, the recent approval of Royal Decree-Law 7/2026 of 20 March, which adopts the Comprehensive Plan to Address the Crisis in the Middle East, highlights the need to continue investing in renewable energy to avoid the consequences of increasingly prevalent geopolitical tensions. Offshore wind is no exception, and will be key to ensuring the energy sovereignty and independence of Spain and Europe.