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Spain a bad example in the renewables sector for 2016
Faced with renewable energies, a whole series of circumstances combined between the economy, demographic movements, climate change and technology, have set in motion a widespread transformation of the global energy system.
The business opportunities, work or economic profitability are up to date creating a business entree that ten years ago was unthinkable and also, supported and socially accepted based on one of the most recognized labels … «Sustainability«.
While on a global scale millions are invested in installing renewables for their palpable benefits, and we can see it in the following graph of the report Ren21 «Renewables 2015 - GLOBAL STATUS REPORT» published last December.
Investment flows in renewables and situation in Spain.
Global investment, inrenewable energies and fuels in developed and developing countries between 2004-2014 have a significant growth. Knowing that Spain It was located - 2014 - among the seven leading countries in renewable energy generation capacity in the world, standing out in the wind sector:
The result is, that actually we have "Clueless", year 2012, 2013, 2014, in investments in the renewable sector. We still have the same installed capacity. And we can check it in the following graph of IRENA (International Renewable Energy Agency):
Possibly so far, none of our readers will be surprised by the data. We already knew that we are good producers of renewable energy and that, for different reasons; crisis, Self-consumption laws and possibly other more "hidden" factors, in recent years we have not invested more. But… What happens if not being able to generate more renewable energy, faced with the need for consumption, we pull the fossil cart?
Spain and renewables in 2015
This is where the latest report fromSpanish Electric Network published data on how we have covered our electricity demand in Spain in 2015. Where two data stand out strongly compared to 2015: Unfortunately, we have consumed less renewables and much more coal and gas compared to 2014.
Although the report tells us … "Renewable energies maintain a prominent role in electricity generation as a whole, but fell by around five points compared to the previous year, conditioned by the variability of hydroelectric and wind energy production, which this year have registered decreases of 28.2% and 5%. 3% respectively. However, it should be noted that wind power has been the technology with the greatest contribution to the total production of electricity on the peninsula in the months of February and May »
What happens when CO2 emissions increase
Due to external factors, the weather, we have not been able to produce more energy in renewables, the dilemma comes that we have had to pull the consumption of fossil energy, which causes a increased CO2 emissions.
By having more CO2 emissions in 2015, we will have to pay more in carbon rights…. How many? An exact figure and with data on the table, we cannot prove it but an estimate:
- According to Greenpeace Spain: 2015. We will have to pay a little more than 100 million additional euros in carbon rights for the 14 million tons of CO2 due to the massive entry of coal (+ 22%) and gas (+ 17%).
- According to the Country: Between 2008 and 2012 it spent more than 800 million to buy CO2 rights.
The value of carbon emissions can be seen in this news from the newspaper El Economista, and every year it rises more.
Regardless of whether we are going to pay more or less. The real problem of the question, in our understanding, is that the millions of excess that we can pay for the increase in CO2 emissions associated with electricity generation (Year 2015), will be wasted, they have no return, being that we had the possibility in 2012, 2013 and 2014 to increase the generation of renewable energy.
So, If by 2015 we already had a dislike with the energy supply in terms of "clean" energies, we predict a 2016 in the same vein. Whether or not it is due to the radical changes in the climate that we are experiencing or due to the simple fact that society consumes more and more electricity. Although this year a coherent energy policy is favored, the possible results, a real energy production, would be long-term.
Other articles of interest:
- What is the future of renewables
- The return of incandescent bulbs
- Energy consumption in the urban profile
- The land law and energy efficiency
- 100 Manuals on energy efficiency
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