KREAN signs an agreement with Statkraft to establish a new model for the development of renewable energy projects in the Basque Country

The company will focus efforts on making projects understood and integrated into society, as well as facilitating access to energy and ownership of facilities open to consumers

KREAN, MONDRAGON Corporation's engineering and development company that seeks to generate a positive impact on people, and Statkraft, Europe's leading renewable energy producer, have signed several agreements with the aim of involving citizens, industry and Basque companies and public administrations in the two wind projects that Statkraft is developing in the Basque Country: Itsaraz, on the border between Araba, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa, and Piaspe, in Gipuzkoa.

Under these agreements, the two companies will jointly promote Itsaraz and Piaspe, working together to define a legal and economic structure that will allow the combination of wind farms with industries, local public entities and citizens.

With the entry of KREAN in the projects, both parties propose an innovative solution for the energy transition in the Basque Country, which aims to become a reference in the energy socialisation process in the region.

KREAN will develop and execute the process of socialisation of the farms, will define the possible models of participation for Basque industry, proposing its entry into the projects and ensuring that the formulas defined respond to its interests as major consumers of electricity

KREAN and Statkraft propose a new model that matches the values that guide the development of their renewable projects in the rest of Europe, acting responsibly and with dialogue at the heart of their projects. With Itsaraz and Piaspe as the protagonists of this innovative approach, the projects will be structured around three axes: socialisation of energy through citizen participation, zero kilometre electricity supply for Basque industry and public-private collaboration.

Both companies will use their knowledge and capabilities to support the projects, enable society to play a leading role in them, and ensure the correct development, construction and operation of the infrastructures.

Thus, Basque society will play a leading role as the future owner and consumer of the Itsaraz and Piaspe wind farms.

KREAN will develop and execute the process of socialisation of the farms, will define the possible models of participation for Basque industry, proposing its entry into the projects and ensuring that the formulas defined respond to its interests as major consumers of electricity.

In terms of citizen socialisation, KREAN will also lead this process by promoting wind energy local communities (ELC). Based on its cooperative experience, with models of social integration, and responding to the progress and organisation scheme proposed by each territory, the aim is to deploy several ELCs around the two projects. Both parties have envisaged an ambitious deployment plan and have committed to tailoring it to local sensibilities, giving it a leading role and contributing with their knowledge, experience and resources.

This marks the beginning of a new phase for wind projects in the Basque Country. With the KREAN and Statkraft initiative, the projects seek to dialogue and integrate society so that the impacts are appropriate, ownership is shared and consumption is local.

Itsaraz and Piaspe, clean, native energy for 68,000 families

KREAN and Statkraft are developing the Itsaraz and Piaspe wind farms in the Basque Country, which are currently in process.

Specifically, Itsaraz would be located on the border between Araba, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa, between the municipalities of Aramaio and Eskoriatza, and would have a capacity of 60.4 megawatts (MW) of power. Piaspe, in Gipuzkoa, between the municipalities of Azpeitia, Erretzil and Zestoa, would have a capacity of 33 MW. 

The implementation of these two facilities would involve an estimated joint investment of more than 90 million euros and they would start producing clean, affordable and local energy for the territory in 2027. Together, their production could supply the average annual consumption of around 68,000 households. 

About KREAN

KREAN is a co-operative group integrated in MONDRAGON Corporation that operates in five areas of activity (Architecture, Industry, City and Territory, Construction and Development) and proposes integral solutions for the main future challenges facing society. Within the scope of the European Strategy for Energy Change and the Basque Energy Transition, KREAN leads the promotion of citizen energy communities in the Basque Country, based on the empowerment of citizens in the generation and management of renewable energies for their consumption. The group is made up of a team of more than 300 people who work in a network with technologists and research centres, schools and universities.

About Statkraft

Statkraft is a leading international hydropower company and Europe's largest renewable producer. The group produces hydro, wind, solar and gas-fired power and also supplies district heating. Statkraft is a global energy market management company and has 5,300 employees in 21 countries. Today, the company is developing a portfolio of 2,300 MW of renewable energy in Spain, where it currently operates 700 MW of photovoltaic capacity, and is a benchmark in PPAs in the Iberian Peninsula, a market in which it already represents 1.8 GW of solar and wind capacity.