MITECO plans three major offshore wind zones off Fuerteventura

The Cabildo of Fuerteventura has lodged formal objections as part of the public consultation launched by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) on the draft ministerial order that will regulate Spain’s first competitive offshore‑wind tender.

The island corporation is explicitly requesting the exclusion of zones ER FV1 and ER FV2, which are currently included in the Maritime Spatial Planning Plans (POEM). It argues that incorporating these zones into the inaugural competitive procedure is incompatible with Fuerteventura’s territorial, environmental, social and energy model, and that the proposal lacks sufficient technical and legal justification.

“Fuerteventura is fully committed to the energy transition, but not at any price or in any way,” said Lola García, President of the Cabildo. “Energy planning must adapt to the reality of each territory, and for a fragile island with high environmental and landscape value like Fuerteventura, the precautionary principle is essential.”

García added that “large infrastructures cannot be placed on the coastline without a clear justification, without social consensus, and without a proper assessment of their cumulative impacts on the territory, the landscape and the local economy.”

Nereida Calero, Councillor for Territorial Planning, explained that the delimitation of these offshore‑wind zones is preliminary, based on initial studies and lacking genuine participation from the sectors most affected—especially the fishing community. “We cannot order the marine space against those who depend on it, nor can we do so without an integrated plan that aligns with the island’s development,” she said.

The Cabildo also considers the minimum distance of one nautical mile from the coast unacceptable given the island’s high landscape and environmental sensitivity, a fact recognized both in territorial planning instruments and in the Strategic Environmental Study. Deploying wind farms under these conditions would:

• Harm marine biodiversity and birdlife,
• Degrade the coastal landscape, and
• Undermine traditional socio‑economic activities linked to the sea.

Furthermore, the Cabildo questions the necessity of offshore wind to guarantee Fuerteventura’s energy transition. It points to more suitable alternatives for an isolated, small‑scale island grid, such as:

• Self‑consumption combined with storage,
• Demand‑side flexibility, and
• Grid‑forming technologies that increase renewable penetration without large‑scale infrastructure.

Calero also highlighted that offshore wind projects have not undergone a specific Strategic Environmental Assessment, despite their potential for significant, cumulative, and synergistic effects on the marine environment, the landscape, and the local economy—a serious omission in a process of this magnitude.

Finally, the Cabildo asserts that delimiting marine zones based on the viability of private projects is inappropriate, as the marine space is a public good that must be managed in the general interest. Any future offshore‑wind project should:

• Obtain explicit consent from the affected local administrations,
• Align with territorial planning, the general interest, and social acceptance.

“We request that MITECO remove the proposed locations off the coast of Fuerteventura from the first auction, ensuring an energy transition that respects the island’s reality and adheres to the precautionary principle,” the Cabildo concluded.

The public consultation will remain open until 24 February 2026.