The VIII National Renewable Energy Congress, organized by APPA Renovables, brought to the forefront the challenges and goals of the Spanish energy sector towards total decarbonization.

In an interview with Energía Estratégica España, the association stated that “the main concern of business owners is the need for increased electricity demand to replace fossil consumption; while for those that cannot be replaced, biogas should be prioritized.”

In this regard, they highlighted their commitment with the official launch of the new APPA Biogas department, where major Spanish companies are involved and committed to developing and promoting opportunities for this technology to bring benefits to Spain.

Santiago Gómez Ramos, president of APPA Renovables, opened the congress by recalling the sector’s evolution in Spain. “When APPA Renovables was created, around 20% of electricity was renewable, last year we closed at 50%, but the goal for 2030 is 81%. If in the 37 years since the association was founded, we’ve increased by 30 percentage points, raising those same 30 points in the next 6 or 7 years is a titanic task,” emphasized the executive.

Moreover, he pointed out that the sector faces imbalances between technologies and between supply and demand, a problem exacerbated by the absence of a National Electrification Plan.

According to him, “the diagnoses are clear, but we still don’t have a National Electrification Plan, or specific plans for the transport, gas, or industrial sectors to do their part in decarbonization.”

In figures, the PNIEC estimates investments of 308 billion euros by 2030, of which 82% will be the responsibility of the private sector. Gómez Ramos emphasized: “252 billion, a quarter of a trillion euros.”

However, the need to adapt the networks, especially to absorb that new demand (+34% forecast), is legally constrained and has yet to be unlocked.

Another highlighted point was the key role of the renewable sector in Spain. “Renewable energies saved, net of remuneration and savings, more than 9.5 billion euros in the electricity market, employed more than 127,000 workers in Spain last year, and savings in CO2 emissions or imports jointly exceed 21 billion euros,” stressed Gómez Ramos.

In this context, the president of APPA warned about policies in Galicia that could threaten the development of wind energy in the region: “That is the industry that endangers the plan being developed by the Galician government. Investments, however, are not at risk because they will go to other regions.”

During the closing of the congress, Joan Groizard Payeras, Secretary of Energy, addressed electrification as a strategic focus.

“The electrification of thermal consumption, which we could almost be talking about as thermal self-consumption through heat pumps, or the electrification of transport, are already the most economical option when we look at the full lifecycle, but they require an initial investment,” explained the official.

Groizard, who replaced Sara Aagesen, also emphasized the need for business models that facilitate the initial financing of renewable projects: “We need to ensure from the Administration that there are the right price signals, the right predictability, but we also need the right business models. How do we reduce that risk for the investor, whether it’s a private individual or a business owner?”

The VIII National Renewable Energy Congress concluded with a call for dialogue and joint work between regulators, companies, and administrations to achieve the goals set out in the PNIEC. With electrification, storage, and renewable gases as key pillars, the sector’s future promises accelerated growth but with challenges ahead.