>@Torresol Energy Investments S.A
© Torresol Energy Investments S.A

Construction of a concentrated solar power plant, with a production capacity of 17 MW, in Fuentes de Andalucía, Spain

By mid-2012 the EIB had lent a total of EUR 126bn to projects in Spain since it began operations in the country in 1981. New loans worth EUR 9bn were provided in 2011 alone, making Spain the largest recipient of our support in the EU for the eighth consecutive year.

Economic-and-social-cohesion related projects accounted for half of all loans last year with trans-European transport and energy networks receiving EUR 2.2bn. Innovation and the knowledge economy projects benefited from EUR 1.4bn, with a similar amount lent to small and medium sized enterprises via our network of partner banks. Below is a sample of recent projects we have supported.

In 2012, we have already invested more than EUR 5.5bn in Spain including support for SMEs through financial intermediaries. In the last three years almost 49 000 SMEs have benefited from our support in the country.


Recent projects in Spain include:

Cutting-edge solar power

Gemasolar in Seville, Andalusia is the first power plant that generates solar energy 24 hours a day without interruption. We have provided EUR 80m in support to this cutting-edge project.

Supporting renewables technology innovation

Ingeteam is a medium sized company producing electrical equipment used in the generation of electricity from renewables. We have supported this Basque-country firm with a EUR 45m loan to support its research, development and innovation work.

Helping to cut fire risk

Forest fires have an immediate negative impact on the environment and also hinder efforts to mitigate climate change. Thus we have lent EUR 100m to a public body in Castilla La Mancha to help strengthen fire fighting and prevention activities.