Amazon And Iberdrola Strengthen Renewable Energy Partnership With 476 MW Agreement

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to sweep across industries, a serious concern is rearing its head – the rising energy demand.

As more businesses and individuals start using AI chatbots, virtual assistants and LLMs, the electricity needed to power these AI technologies is falling short.

Industry leaders are recognizing the need to tap into alternative energy sources, with Google committing $20 billion to power its AI systems with Kairos Power, Amazon tapping into carbon free energy and Meta identifying nuclear energy developers to help meet its AI sustainability objectives.

This has kicked off a new-found enthusiasm for renewable energy developers, with Iberdrola officially opening its operation and maintenance (O&M) center for the Saint-Brieuc offshore wind farm in France. Located in Binic-Étables-sur-Mer, the facility will oversee the wind farm's electricity production and maintenance activities, ensuring a steady supply of renewable energy.

This, in turn, has grabbed the attention of Amazon, which is partnering up with Iberdrola on a power purchase agreement (PPA). So, what does this partnership mean for Iberdrola and why is the deal a winner for the technology giant Amazon?

Let’s check out the whole story!
 

What Is Iberdrola’s Wind Farm All About?

Calling its offshore wind farm part of the strategic challenges of energy independence and  decarbonisation, Iberdrola’s energy center in Binic-Établesm can produce electricity 24x7x365, a crucial step in ensuring continuous and reliable production of renewable energy. 

The offshore wind farm boasts 62 turbines and spans a massive 75 km² in the Bay of Saint-Brieuc. Its total capacity of 496 MW is expected to generate roughly 1,820 GWh annually, or the energy consumption equivalent of 835,000 people.

The wind farm’s O&M center has 80 experts committed to guaranteeing dependability, performance and state-of-the-art green facilities. In fact, even the O&M centre’s car park is equipped with 260 solar panels forming a 113.1 kWp solar screen, producing about 110 MWh/year.

So, why is Amazon interested in Iberdrola’s new renewable energy center?
 

How Is Amazon Benefiting From Iberdrola’s Expansion?

Amazon announced that it has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Iberdrola, significantly expanding its renewable energy portfolio. The initial agreements for Portugal and Spain total 476 MW, with the partnership planned to expand to 5 countries globally for 66,000 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of renewable energy from Iberdrola.

These agreements will allow Amazon to fulfill its pledges to run its worldwide AI and cloud infrastructure using renewable energy by 2025 and reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.

A major component of this partnership is Amazon's first PPA in Portugal, which guarantees 219 MW from the biggest wind farm in the nation, the Tâmega Wind Complex. Then the partnership will expand to Spain, with two utility scale PPAs agreed for 257 MW of solar and wind energy. Of this, 212 MW will come from the Ciudad Rodrigo solar plant in Salamanca in Western Spain and 45 MW from the Valdemoro wind farm in the province of Burgos.

These projects, taken together, should provide 1,093 GWh of carbon-free electricity annually, enough to power almost 300,000 houses. With over 600 solar and wind projects globally, Amazon is global leader in corporate purchase of renewable energy for the fifth year running, according to Bloomberg NEF.

Moreover, the project also benefits Iberdrola, which uses Amazon Web Services’ High-Performance Computing (HPC) to improve weather forecasting simulations across its 400 windfarms globally and optimizes its windfarm design by using AWS Cloud’s compute.

This expanding partnership illustrates Amazon's dedication to environmental sustainability while giving Iberdrola access to Amazon’s technology expertise. So, what was said about the tie-up?
 

What Did Industry Executives Say About This Move?

Leaders in the energy sector have shown support for Iberdrola's latest partnership with Amazon. Especially in Europe, where according to the Pexapark Renewables Market Outlook 2025 report, Iberdrola remained the top seller of power purchase agreements for a second consecutive year.
Emphasizing the wider impact of the Saint-Brieuc offshore wind farm, Ignacio Galán, Executive Chairman of Iberdrola, said, "This project lays the foundations for the offshore wind sector in France and clearly demonstrates the potential that this technology has to boost energy security and the reindustrialisation of Europe, while contributing to climate objectives."
 

On Iberdrola's growing alliance with Amazon, Aitor Moso Raigoso, Executive Vice President Customer Business at Iberdrola, said, " With Amazon we have a partnership that truly matches our own commitment to develop sustainable energy and drive the energy transition forward around the world. With Iberdrola’s extensive global portfolio of renewables, we are continually seeking to expand such partnerships, to accelerate decarbonisation and support businesses in reaching their climate goals.”

Finally, Lindsay McQuade, Director of Energy for EMEA at Amazon, highlighted, “We are excited to further support Iberdrola in its growth plans, leveraging the scalability and services of AWS in data and AI. We are working with Iberdrola to provide a modern virtual desktop platform for their employees and drive innovation across business lines to accelerate innovation and delivery, and achieve our goals faster.”
 

Conclusion

The wind farm O&M center at Saint-Brieuc increases Iberdrola’s renewable energy footprint and gives it a boost of 1,820 GWh/year. Moreover, it also supports the creation of sustainable jobs in the area and is becoming a go-to name for many looking to commit to environmental pledges.

Amazon's renewable energy purchases from Iberdrola align with its aim of net-zero carbon emissions across all of its activities by 2040. Moreover, the projects highlight the increasing cooperation between Big Tech companies and renewable energy suppliers, supporting decarbonization and clean energy for powering hungry AI and cloud workflows.

What do you think of Amazon’s move to purchase renewable energy from Iberdrola? Do you think these initiatives will accelerate the transition to sustainable energy solutions globally?

Tell us in the comments below!