Fewer turbines, more power: Casares wind farm to replace 46 windmills with just eight

For years, the wind turbines above Casares have divided opinion. To some, they are a valuable source of electricity in an area where reliable power is important. To others, their presence has come at a cost to the views across one of the Costa del Sol’s most attractive rural landscapes.

Now the skyline is set for a major change, with 46 turbines at the Los Llanos wind farm due to be replaced by just eight modern machines.

Casares windmills: Power solution or blot on the landscape?

Naturgy, which operates the facility, says the project will maintain its installed capacity at 33.4 megawatts while almost doubling annual electricity generation. The plans form part of a wider €330 million wind farm modernisation programme announced by the energy company.

Production is expected to rise from 77 gigawatt hours (GWh) to 149 GWh, despite the reduction in turbine numbers. The new equipment is expected to be more efficient, producing more power from fewer machines.

The change means 38 turbines will finally disappear from the Casares landscape. For residents who consider the structures an unwelcome blot on the landscape, that reduction could be welcome news. At the same time, the wind farm will continue producing renewable electricity.

New battery storage construction to be included

The project will also include a battery storage system. Naturgy says this will improve the installation’s flexibility and help renewable power enter the electricity system more efficiently. The Spanish Government has also been supporting the modernisation of existing wind farms through its renewable energy programme.

According to the company, the wind farm generates enough renewable energy to match the annual consumption of around 22,000 homes. It also avoids approximately 44,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year.

The Casares scheme forms part of a wider Naturgy programme to modernise wind farms in several Spanish regions, backed by a combined investment of €330 million. Across the programme, 274 turbines are due to be replaced by 40 newer units, with electricity production expected to increase by around 75 per cent.

Renewable energy projects abound in Malaga Province

Malaga Province has seen other renewable energy developments, including new wind and solar projects being processed by Malaga authorities and the recent start of electricity generation at the Rules dam hydroelectric station in Granada.

The plans offer a striking compromise in a debate that has followed wind energy across the countryside: fewer turbines on the hills, but more electricity from the wind for the wider local electricity supply.