Menorca is no longer the island of wind

CitadelMenorca, known as the island of wind, has failed to capitalize on its wind power potential in the last year. For the first time in a quarter of a century, production of this type of renewable energy has been virtually nil, while the installation of solar farms across the island continues to grow. The data recently updated by the Menorca Socio-Environmental Observatory (Obsam) makes this clear. Renewable energy generation has seen a significant increase since 2023, following the commissioning of the Son Salomó solar park in Ciutadella and the recent connection of the Agrisolar plant in Mercadal, but it still falls short of the targets set by the Menorca 2030 Strategy. Last year, renewables contributed 8% of the energy connected to the grid, when they should already account for 54%, reaching 85% by 2030. Nevertheless, the percentage is trending upwards, with the largest park on the island (Menorca Solar, 87 MW) under construction, while dependence on the Maó thermal power plant is decreasing.

Even so, the photovoltaic rollout is largely on track. Installed solar parks have a combined capacity of 143 MW, close to the 160 MW they should total, and on track to reach 261 MW within five years. Even private self-consumption installations are exceeding targets. They generate 26 megawatts, ten more than they should currently be generating, already a step towards reaching 30 MW by 2030.

Wind energy is the weak point in Menorca. In 2025, with the Milán wind farm out of service, it didn't contribute a single megawatt to the electricity grid, when it should be generating at least 8% of the energy and has the goal of covering 16.5% of the installed renewable capacity within five years.

A replacement for the Milán wind farm

This month, the four turbines of the Milán wind farm, with a capacity of 3.2 MW, were finally dismantled. It was the first wind farm built in the Balearic Islands twenty years ago and the only one of its size still under public ownership. The facility was decommissioned because it reached the end of its useful life a year ago and was no longer economically viable. During its 19 years of operation, it generated revenues of €7.7 million and expenses exceeding €8.1 million. Frequent breakdowns, particularly after the pandemic, resulted in an accumulated deficit of nearly €400,000. The Waste and Energy Consortium—comprised of the Island Council and the eight municipalities of the island—invested almost twice that amount, €760,282, in the dismantling. But the removal of the wind turbines is not a farewell to the energy transition in Menorca: President Adolfo Vilafranca is thinking about "new renewable projects in the area" that will make the island's energy mix possible. It is "another step towards adapting and modernizing the energy infrastructure, with the utmost respect for the land and the environment," he says.

The Council is promoting the development of a report on wind energy in Menorca. The document aims to analyze precedents, drawing on the experience of the Milan wind farm, as well as the potential and social, territorial, and economic impact of wind turbines. It will also consider the possibility of authorizing offshore wind farms, weighing their visual impact near the coast against the benefits of locating them further away from rural areas and natural spaces. All of this is intended to highlight the need for a more balanced electricity mix to avoid relying solely on solar power for renewable energy production. The public contract for producing the report emphasizes that "photovoltaics alone are insufficient to meet nighttime and winter demand without balanced wind power support." It seeks to "create a sense of urgency" to meet the commitments of the Menorca 2030 Strategy and underscore the island's wind potential as "a sovereign, locally sourced resource that reduces dependence on submarine cables and fossil fuels."

Energy communities and offshore wind turbines

The idea is to explore potential locations compatible with the Island Territorial Plan (PTI) that would allow for the installation of low-intensity "micro-wind" farms, which can be integrated into degraded and industrial areas. Alternatively, the socioeconomic benefits of creating energy communities where residents can co-own the installed wind turbines will be studied, potentially lowering electricity bills and generating specialized employment on the island. The model to follow is that of the Canary Island of El Hierro – also a Biosphere Reserve – or the Danish island of Samsø. Both have achieved 100% renewable energy supply.

The GOB (Balearic Ornithological Group) applauds the fact that Menorca's renewable energy strategy includes solar power, "because it doesn't distort the landscape as much as wind farms." However, they believe that focusing solely on photovoltaics limits production to daylight hours, and that also having a share of wind energy "could be positive for combining the current strategy."

Currently, Menorca has more operational photovoltaic capacity than is needed and has another tens of megawatts awaiting connection. The interconnection with Mallorca allows for the distribution of some of this production. However, according to the environmental organization, what could under no circumstances be absorbed is the production of the two massive offshore wind farms planned off the northeast coast of Menorca, under the auspices of the Ministry for Ecological Transition. These projects would increase the island's total production capacity to around 500 MW. The GOB (Balearic Ornithological Group) warns that this would jeopardize the stability of the Balearic electrical system. The environmental group has filed objections against the two offshore wind farm projects due to the impact of wind turbines up to 325 meters tall, located just five kilometers from the coast. Furthermore, they would cause noise pollution at night more than 100 times higher than the maximum permitted noise level in residential areas such as El Grau, La Mezquida, Macaret, and Es Castell.

The Secretary of State for Energy, Joan Groizard, from Mallorca, acknowledged in the Senate in December that offshore wind farm projects would lead to an overproduction of energy for Menorca. "The current electrical grid wouldn't be prepared to either use or distribute the energy," complains Popular Party Senator Tóbal Marquès. The debate is on the table.