Across Europe, wind energy has become one of the main pillars of the energy transition, with Spain positioned as a continental leader in installed capacity and industrial development. In this context, more than 45 organisations from the wind sector and municipalities have signed the Joint Declaration of the Wind Sector and Municipalities for Sustainable Local Development, establishing a shared framework for long term collaboration between developers and local councils.
The agreement was signed at the Spanish Congress of Deputies and is promoted under the Foro Vecinos Eólicos, a platform created in 2025 to give visibility to the people who live alongside wind farms and to foster constructive dialogue between local communities, public administrations and energy companies. Over the coming months, additional organisations are expected to join and new dialogue initiatives will be launched.
Spain currently hosts more than 1,400 wind farms across over 860 municipalities, meaning that 11 percent of Spanish municipalities have at least one wind installation. The Declaration represents more than 45,000 residents living with wind energy and 80 percent of the country’s installed wind capacity, underlining its national relevance.
As Rocío Sicre, President of the Spanish Wind Energy Association (AEE), stated during the presentation, the energy transition must not take place in the territory but with the territory. She highlighted that wind farms generate increased public revenues, support population retention, boost local economic activity, improve infrastructure and services, and create local employment opportunities, pointing to numerous examples of successful public private collaboration across rural Spain.
Five guiding principles for long term cooperation
The Joint Declaration establishes a voluntary collaboration framework between wind developers and municipalities hosting or planning to host wind installations. It recognises that the relationship between a wind company and a municipality is not limited to the construction phase, but can extend over decades, shaping the economic, social and territorial evolution of rural areas.
The Declaration is built around five core principles: integration of wind energy while respecting the social, economic and environmental reality of the territory; generation of shared benefits; co responsibility between companies and administrations; transparent and continuous dialogue; and the application of good environmental practices that promote biodiversity and landscape integration.
To translate these principles into action, the signatories define key lines of action focused on information and participation, local economic development, employment and training, shared value creation, and ongoing monitoring of coexistence between municipalities and wind projects. Adhering municipalities and companies will receive public recognition for their commitment to sustainable development and will participate in a network for exchanging best practices promoted by AEE.
Wind energy as a strategic driver for rural Spain
Wind energy contributes more than €265 million annually to local councils, enabling municipalities to finance local development plans and socio economic revitalisation strategies that help address demographic decline. With installations occupying approximately 0.017 percent of Spain’s total land area, wind farms coexist with agriculture, livestock, fishing and tourism activities.
Beyond the creation of local employment and wealth, wind projects also support forest management and wildfire prevention. Access roads and firebreaks maintained for wind operations facilitate surveillance and rapid intervention by firefighting teams, protecting natural capital and reinforcing climate resilience.
Industry leaders and local representatives echoed this vision. Robert Navarro, CEO of RWE Renewables Iberia, emphasised that the future of wind energy is not only about technology but about people and the planet. Erica Morales of Statkraft highlighted the importance of proactive and transparent relationships with local communities, citing over 25 years of collaboration in Poza de la Sal. Local leaders such as Eva García, Mayor of Buenavista del Norte, and Isabel Martínez, Mayor of Higueruela, underlined that territorial protection and energy transition must advance together, demonstrating that coexistence with wind energy can improve quality of life while contributing to global sustainability.
With more than 350 member companies, over 37,000 professionals employed and wind covering 24 percent of Spain’s electricity demand, AEE represents a sector that is already central to the national energy system and increasingly aligned with rural development strategies.
By strengthening collaboration between developers and municipalities, this Declaration reinforces progress towards SDG 7, Affordable and Clean Energy, and SDG 13, Climate Action. The scale of participation and installed capacity involved illustrates how local engagement can accelerate decarbonisation while delivering tangible socio economic benefits.
As Spain continues expanding renewable capacity, the success of the energy transition will depend not only on megawatts installed, but on trust built. The Joint Declaration signals that the future of wind energy lies as much in community partnerships as in turbine technology.
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