Wind farm blows new life into Spanish village

The village of Higueruela in Spain is dwarfed by the 15-storey high windmills of Europe's largest wind farm, but none of its residents are complaining. While some might consider the turbines an eyesore, in this farming village in one of Spain's least developed regions, Castille-La Mancha, many are keen to see more of the energy- and cash-generating 55-metre (180 feet) high machines.

Two new schools are testament to the improvements the plant has brought the isolated village, where an annual 2,400 hours of wind make it a prime site for generating power. Wind speeds of 16 kph (10 mph) are enough to set the mills in motion, and with 161 megawatts of installed capacity, the complex can meet the electricity needs of around 640,000 people.

"If only there could be more wind parks," said 34-year-old Gabriel Minguez, working behind one of the few bars in the village. "The town hall gets money for the wind park, and it provides work in the village," he added, speaking over the distant murmur of the four-tonne spokes of the plant's 244 windmills which rise from a hill barely 800 metres away.