Lessons from Renewable Energy in Spain

Greetings from the Australian National University, in Canberra, where Professor Cayetano López, Director General of CIEMAT, is speaking on "Renewable Energy in Spain: Technology and Politics". He started by saying how Spain's 75% dependency on fossil fuels, while better than the world average (85%) is not sustainable. He said this needs to change in one or two generations. The problem is to reduce the carbon content of energy sources. The demand for energy is increasing and any reduction in supply will harm the poorest people in developing nations the most. So what is needed is sources of cleaner energy. This will require nuclear power will need to be at least retained, if not increased, despite the potential for accidents. Clean coal is one possibility, but sequestration of CO2is problematic. As a result Professor  López concentrates on forms of renewable energy, which are increasing. The proportion of hydro electricity in Spain is reducing, whereas wind energy and solar energy are increasing. Spain was aiming for 20% renewable energy by 2020, which is achievable, whereas Germany is aiming for 18%, but is only at about 10%. Spain is third in the world in terms of the proportion of electricity generated by wind power (16%). Denmark has the highest proportion at 27%, but as Professor López pointed out, Denmark can send any excess to the German grid. Spain has a health wind power equipment industry. The third largest company ACCIONA has a wind farm in Gunning NSW. Most other major wind power companies are Chinese. Professor López described a "PV Bubble" in Spain due to government incentives, which caused a sudden increase in installations, which has now ended (due to end of government subsidy). Most of the Spanish PV installations are ground mounted, not on buildings as in Australia. 

The recent savings measure by the Spanish government have removed subsidies and incentives for renewable energy.  However, the rising price of electricity and lower cost of solar and wind equipment is resulting in new investment based on market prices. This allowed Professor Lópezto finish on a positive note.

The presentation appeared to be an update of "CSP in Spain" presented by Professor  Lópezin 2011.

Renewable Energy in Spain: Technology and Politics,Canberra 23 May

Professor Cayetano López, Director General of CIEMAT, will speak on "Renewable Energy in Spain: Technology and Politics" at the Australian National University, in Canberra, 23 May 2013.

“Renewable Energy in Spain: Technology and Politics”

Public Lecture by Professor Cayetano López, Director General of CIEMAT

Thursday, 23 May 2013, 5.00pm drinks reception, lecture from 5.30 - 6.30pm

Renewable Energy deployment in Spain has progressed rapidly in the past decade due to a convergence of several factors: a political will to meet the 2020 renewable energy and climate change objectives defined by the European Union, the existence of Research Centres that have spearheaded innovation and commercialisation of renewable energy technologies as well as large amount of private sector investment.

As a result, one third ofSpain’s electricity is generated from renewable sources. Spanish companies have also emerged as world leaders in a number of renewable energy technologies, notably wind power and concentrated solar. All this have been brought about by generous public funding schemes in R & D and early stage commercialisation as well as fiscal and regulatory policies supportive of a rapid expansion of the renewable energy market.

The European crisis have prompted significant policy changes that could jeopardise the continuity of existing support schemes and negatively affect the state of renewable energy in Spain. Professor Cayetano López, Director General of CIEMAT, describes the present situation and discusses the strengths and weaknesses of policy changes going forward.

CIEMAT is the leading public research institution that operates under key Spanish ministries, including the Ministry of Economics and Competitiveness and the Ministry of Research, Development and Innovation. Established in 1986, it promotes and carries out research and technological development projects of environmentally friendly energy technologies. It also aims at improving the competitiveness of existing renewable energy technologies in the global energy market. CIEMAT has six key facilities in Spain, including world renowned Plataforma Solar de Almería, the world leader in concentrated solar power research since 1977.

This event is jointly hosted by The ANU Energy Change Institute (ECI) and The Embassy of Spain. ECI combines leading research and teaching in energy technologies, efficiency, policy, law, sociology and economics. ECI Director Professor Ken Baldwin will chair the public lecture. Registration is essential.

Spanish Supply Ship Borrowed by Australian Navy

The Spanish Navy's Combat Supply Ship Cantabria will operate from Australia, February to November 2013. There are five ships designed by the Spanish company Navantia, to be delivered to the the Royal Australian Navy in the next few years: two Canberra class Landing Helicopter Dock Ships and three Hobart class destroyers. This makes the deployment of Cantabria, which was also designed and built by Navantia, a useful exercise for the RAN to get used to Spanish ships.

The RAN will also need new submarines to replace six Collins Class boats. Assuming the Navantia vessels under construction work well, a low risk option would be to buy submarines from the same company. S-80 Class Submarines, are now under construction by Navantia, for the Spanish Navy. This may not be the most advanced submarine available and has a shorter range than ideal for Australia, but would be affordable and have a reasonable chance of operating reliably. The first few boats could be built in Spain and later ones in Australia.