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Spain's second largest wind operator, Acciona Energía, has announced it is building 63 MW of wind power across France and Germany. The new capacity will bring the company's online wind total abroad to 265 MW, compared with 1120 MW in Spain. The latest announcement comes on a wave of aggressive bids for international expansion, with permits for 76 MW clinched in Canada, plans to build 1000 MW in the US and a deal in China for Acciona's turbine division, Ingetur, to build a manufacturing facility to turn out 800 MW of turbines a year.

In Germany, Acciona says building is underway on 41.5 MW, all using Vestas turbines in the state of Brandenburg. The project rights were bought from local developer Eno Energiegesellschaft Nordost. The new capacity was due online last month to bring Acciona's wind tally in Germany to 100 MW. This year Acciona says it will build and connect 20 MW in Germany in two projects.

In France Acciona is building two projects totalling 22.25 MW. Both are in the region of Vendée and both have been developed by La Compagnie du Vent. Gamesa is supplying the turbines. This year Acciona says La Compagnie du Vent will start building its 28 MW Chemin des Haguenets plant in the Oise region, with connection scheduled for 2007.

Across the Atlantic Ocean, Acciona is installing 18, Vestas 660 kW turbines at the 11 MW Velva project, which it owns 100%. Also going up is the 30 MW Chin Chute project in Canada, which Acciona jointly owns with Canadian oil and gas firms, Suncor and Enbridge. Turbines are being supplied by GE.