Renewable energies in Spain are giving, over time, ups and downs in consumption and production. At present, neither nuclear energy, combined cycle plants, nor even the long-awaited coal and natural gas have been able to generate as much energy as renewables in the last year. According to the Spanish Electricity Network, the renewable energy sources generated in 2017 generated 33,7% of all the energy consumed.
In this post you will be able to know the panorama of renewable energies in Spain, from how they work to which are the most used. Do you want to know everything about it?
More renewable energies in Spain
Despite the fact that renewable energy has given a good pull in the Iberian Peninsula, 17,4% of the energy consumed is still due to coal thermal power plants. One out of every three kilowatt hours generated in Spain produced autonomously and cleanly. Among the most used energies we find solar, wind, hydro and biomass.
While water, sun and wind are used to produce energy on a large scale, biomass has been used to heat buildings in winter. Thanks to this renewable source they can be fed pellet stoves.
Conventional energies and their high costs
The remaining kilowatt hours are generated in natural gas, coal or nuclear power plants. These energies are not indigenous since, for example, about 50% of the uranium is important to Namibia or Niger. From there we get the fuel for our nuclear power plants. On the other hand, from Qatar or Algeria we import half of the natural gas we use. Finally, we extract huge amounts of oil from Libya, Nigeria and the Middle East.
This external origin of the energy means that the income does not go to Spain, but rather remains outside. The Spanish economy works if money flows within the country. That is, if we export more than we import or receive more tourists who spend their money here. All imports have a price: 33 million euros spent on oil, gas and coal. This money is lost from the coffers of Spain and goes to other countries.
Faced with this situation, Spain depends entirely on the prices set by other countries for natural gas or oil. This energy dependence is above the European average. Few countries are completely autonomous in energy, but Spain is highly dependent on external energy. We are exposed to the whims of other nations that sell us energy and to that market "dictatorship".
The problem of energy dependence is getting worse and worse. According to the latest Cores bulletin (Corporation for Strategic Reserves of Petroleum Products, Ministry of Energy), between January and October 2017, imports of energy products have grown by 18,0% here. Despite this, the energy deficit has increased by 30,4%, amounting to 17 million euros. We are having an ever greater deficit in energy, when we have great potential in the world of renewables.
What is Spain doing with energy?
With the energy you buy, it produces both cold and heat in industrial processes. They also serve to air-condition homes and offices. It must be taken into account that oil is used to feed an entire fleet of vehicles in circulation (more than 27 million land vehicles plus air and sea vehicles). It is also used to generate electricity. In energy production we were in surplus until almost a year, when the balance between exports and imports was positive.
After thirteen years of positive balances, with the five consecutive years and the stoppage of renewables at the hands of the Rajoy government, in 2016 the energy decline began in Spain. The tendency to worsen has been confirmed in 2017, when we imported 20% more energy than in 2016. Although France and Portugal are also in negative balance, the latter has a very active self-consumption law in the market.
Renewables opportunity
In Spain it has the highest radiation values in all of Europe. In addition, we have the highest concentration of tourists in history and we have lived the months of August with temperatures of 45 degrees. Despite this, our energy dependence continues to increase more and more. We have many resources in Spain and a huge window of opportunities. The air conditioning used during peak hours could have been powered by the sun. The sun can be as unforgiving and exhausting as it is generous in energy. But it has not been that way. External sellers have benefited from these energy peaks, mostly those of natural gas.
Despite the energy circumstances that we live in every day in Spain, the installed renewable park has meant that we can have 1 in 3 kilowatts of clean energy. This is an achievement considering the energetic conditions we are going through. Nothing more and nothing less than 33,7% of all energy is produced by non-polluting and indigenous sources.
Spanish energy mix
On the other hand, the seven nuclear reactors that still operate have been responsible for generating 22,6% of the kilowatts. This means that the material imported from Namibia has taken the second part of the production. Gas has produced more or less the same, if we add the combined cycle, 13,8%, and the 11,5 points of cogeneration. Most of the cogeneration facilities in Spain work with gas. Coal has only generated 17,4% of the kilowatt hours.
As can be seen in the Spanish energy mix, despite the fact that renewables have suffered a halt since the Rajoy government, they have surpassed the others. Renewable energies in Spain have to lead the country to the energy transition since, sooner or later, fossil fuels will become more expensive due to their depletion. Hopefully governments will get to work with it. It's quite a shame that so much energy is being wasted, despite having great potential.