8 Spain
On a rollercoaster of regulatory change
– risks and uncertainties associated
with renewable energy transitions
Alevgul H. Sorman, Cristina Pizarro- Irizar,
Xaquín García-Muros, Mikel González-Eguino,
and Iñaki Arto
Introduction
Spain, in alignment with the European Union’s (EU) climate policy, aims at
reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 80–95% below 1990 levels by
2050 (European Commission, 2011). In the Paris Agreement era, the EU’s
Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) sets the binding target
of an at least 40% domestic reduction in GHG emissions by 2030 compared to
1990 (European Commission, 2015). Additionally, the 2030 Energy Strategy for
the EU (European Commission, 2014) includes a target of at least a 27% share
of renewable energy (RE) consumption – binding at the EU level – and at least
27% energy savings – non- binding – compared with the business- as-usual scenario. These targets are to be fulfilled jointly with all member states, yet there are
currently no binding targets for individual member states for the post- 2020
period.
Since the end of 2017, Spain has picked up its commitment to complying
with the objectives set out in the Paris Agreement and within the framework of
the European Union, and has begun an elaboration of the Climate Change and
Energy Transition Law (Under the Article 26.2 of Law 50/1997) of the
government.
Although currently Spain is well off in meeting EU targets, changes in its
regulatory system over the years have caused disturbances in the roll out and
ambition of renewable energy sources (RESs). These sources cover wind power,
solar power from photovoltaics (solar PV), concentrated solar power (CSP),
small- scale hydropower technologies (<50 MW), waste, waste treatment, and
geothermal power.
Renewables, especially in the electricity sector (RES- E), during the greatest
renewable expansion period in Spain (from 2004 until 2013), were supported by a
combined system of feed- in tariffs (FIT) and feed- in premiums (FIP) which was
established in the Renewable Energy Act and applied to all RES and cogeneration
(BOE, 2004). In this period, RES- E grew from a 9% of gross generation in 2004
On a rollercoaster of regulatory change
– risks and uncertainties associated
with renewable energy transitions
Alevgul H. Sorman, Cristina Pizarro- Irizar,
Xaquín García-Muros, Mikel González-Eguino,
and Iñaki Arto
Introduction
Spain, in alignment with the European Union’s (EU) climate policy, aims at
reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 80–95% below 1990 levels by
2050 (European Commission, 2011). In the Paris Agreement era, the EU’s
Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) sets the binding target
of an at least 40% domestic reduction in GHG emissions by 2030 compared to
1990 (European Commission, 2015). Additionally, the 2030 Energy Strategy for
the EU (European Commission, 2014) includes a target of at least a 27% share
of renewable energy (RE) consumption – binding at the EU level – and at least
27% energy savings – non- binding – compared with the business- as-usual scenario. These targets are to be fulfilled jointly with all member states, yet there are
currently no binding targets for individual member states for the post- 2020
period.
Since the end of 2017, Spain has picked up its commitment to complying
with the objectives set out in the Paris Agreement and within the framework of
the European Union, and has begun an elaboration of the Climate Change and
Energy Transition Law (Under the Article 26.2 of Law 50/1997) of the
government.
Although currently Spain is well off in meeting EU targets, changes in its
regulatory system over the years have caused disturbances in the roll out and
ambition of renewable energy sources (RESs). These sources cover wind power,
solar power from photovoltaics (solar PV), concentrated solar power (CSP),
small- scale hydropower technologies (<50 MW), waste, waste treatment, and
geothermal power.
Renewables, especially in the electricity sector (RES- E), during the greatest
renewable expansion period in Spain (from 2004 until 2013), were supported by a
combined system of feed- in tariffs (FIT) and feed- in premiums (FIP) which was
established in the Renewable Energy Act and applied to all RES and cogeneration
(BOE, 2004). In this period, RES- E grew from a 9% of gross generation in 2004