Wind was Spain's cheapest power

The claim derives from the Asociacion Empresarial Eolica's (AEE)'s assessment of provisional annual figures from national grid operator Red Eléctrica de España (REE).

Wind averaged at €46.14/MWh across the year. The next cheapest electricity came from large hydro, at €50.69/MWh, followed by coal, gas and nuclear, with a combined average of €50.94/MWh.

While AEE's figures do not include the subsidies paid to wind, which are later added to the consumer electricity bill, the association points out that 8.5GW or 37% of the country's entire 23GW installed wind capacity operates with no subsidies at all, following energy reforms in 2014.

This unsubsidised wind power, behind 7.6% of mainland generation last year, "is therefore without doubt the cheapest electricity in the country," said AEE.

Overall, wind power met 19% of demand in 2015. If that generation had been covered by conventional power, without a contribution from wind, AEE calculates the cumulative wholesale electricity price would have cost 23.8% more over 2015; an additional €2.95 billion.

Wind capacity still eligible for incentives received just €1.25 billion last year, and therefore slashed the combined net price by €1.7 billion in 2015.

AEE shows how the average price of wind in 2015 was cheaper than solar, hydro and conventional power