Spain's Castille-La Mancha region is working to install 6,000 MW of wind parks by 2015 in hopes to take the lead in the country's booming wind-power market. The wind region in central Spain is hoping to launch a tender for 800 MW-1,000 MW imminently, which is expected to attract many of the firms already dominating the area including Energia Eolicas Europeas (EEE), owned by renewables major Iberdrola, Gamesa, Union Fenosa Renovales and Ecotecnia.

Fernando Domingo Triado, president of the Asociacion de Promotores de Energia Eolica de Castilla-La Mancha (Aprecam), says the wind auction will take place in coming weeks, attracting major developers in Spain and abroad.

In addition to the tender, Iberdrola is also moving to install a 1,300-MW wind park in Cuenca which will help the region achieve its target, Domingo revealed.

The 2,300 new megawatts will cost some $3 billion to install, though this sum will be lower than the $5.5 billion the sector has wooed in the past five years, Domingo said.

Castille-La Mancha has already witnessed the development of 3,760 MW of capacity, making it the second-largest wind-power hub in Spain after Castille-Leon, which has 4,800 MW in operation. The northern region of Galicia is third with 3,289 MW.

Castille-La Mancha is also home to seven turbine, blade and tower factories, the largest of which are operated by Gamesa and GE Wind.