One out of every three kilowatt hours in Spain is generated by renewables

Renewable energies in Spain are having quite a significant evolution and increasing their competitiveness in the markets every day. Not all conventional energies from fossil fuels such as coal, nuclear energy, natural gas or oil have been able to generate as much energy in Spain during 2017 as they have done. renewables.

Are we well on our way to an energy transition?

Increase in renewable energies

According to data obtained from the Spanish Electricity Network, the sources that have generated the highest percentage of electricity consumed in the country in 2017 have come from renewable energies. Nothing more and nothing less than 33,7% of the electricity consumed has been from clean sources.

However, still 17,4% of the kilowatt hours produced this year have come from the energy generated in coal-fired power plants. As we know, the burning of fossil fuels emits greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, increasing pollution and the effects of climate change.

Among all the kilowatts used by the country in 2017, one in three comes from renewable energy. Energies such as water, wind, sun and biomass. The rest of kilowatts have been generated in thermal and nuclear power plants, in the burning of coal, etc.

Non-renewable energy in Spain

The renewable energy produced is entirely Spanish, that is, it has been produced in our country for our country. However, fossil energy comes from outside. 50% of the uranium with which nuclear energy is generated comes from Niger or Namibia. We import oil from Libya and Nigeria. This import entails an expense for Spain in addition to the production costs. Without going further, are more than 33.000 million euros those that Spain has paid to bring fossil fuels to the country. However, renewables do not have that expense.

Because fossil energy must be imported to Spain, we depend a lot on the prices that other nations set for natural gas or oil. Because in Spain renewable energies have taxes and very few subsidies, it is highly dependent on the energies of other countries. Therefore, we are almost 20 points above the European average in energy dependence.

The problem of Spanish energy dependence is even worse, since imports of energy products have grown by 18% during January and October 2017.

Spain uses these energy products to produce both heat and cold in industries. It also uses it to air-condition buildings, provide power to the more than 27 million land vehicles, airplanes and ships, and generate electricity for the country's inhabitants.

Until 2016, Spain generated so much energy that the import and export balance was positive. In other words, we exported more energy abroad than we brought in from abroad. However, in 2016, after five years of the PP government at the hands of Mariano Rajoy, this balance declined in favor of fossil fuels and the stoppage of renewables. In 2017, 17% more were imported than in 2016 instead of the other way around, despite the fact that more renewable energy than fossil energy has been generated.

Spanish energy outlook

Despite the fact that we have the highest solar radiation values ​​in all of Europe, we have the highest concentration of tourists and highest temperatures, solar energy is not exploited as much as it should. During the summer, with 45 degree heat waves in Córdoba or Seville Renewable energy was not used for air conditioning, but natural gas took the victory, benefiting gas vendors.

At least, it is encouraging to see how the amount of renewable energy installed in Spain between 2004 and 2011 has allowed one in three kilowatt hours to be produced in a clean way and helps in the energy transition.