Presentation
Conducted in collaboration with the magazine Energías Renovables (Renewable Energy Magazine) “Renovables Made in Spain” comprises a leaflet, a catalogue and a website analysing the key factors that have enabled Spain to spearhead the global renewables sector and presenting over a hundred companies and technology centres that are representative of the sector. Technologies covered include wind, photovoltaic solar, solar thermal, solar thermal electric, biogas, biofuels, biomass, hydroelectric, geothermal and marine energies.
The “Renovables Made in Spain” website also provides the latest news on the sector, plus a free monthly electronic newsletter containing the most noteworthy items of news, which is available to anyone wishing to subscribe to this service. The website is available in Spanish and English, while the company catalogue and leaflet are printed in Spanish and English, as well as in Arabic.
"An experience to be shared" Miguel Sebastián Gascón
Minister for Industry, Tourism and Trade
Constructing an energy model that guarantees supply security, strengthens economic competitiveness, and helps tackle climate change is a top priority not only for Spain but for most countries.
Energy efficiency and renewable energies, as an inseparable combination, must be key components of the current and future energy policy both locally and globally, due to the extraordinary energy-related, environmental, social and economic benefits they bring. This is even truer in times of recession such as now, when it is becomes clear that major structural reforms of our economy are needed and that we must to follow a path to recovery and growth founded on promoting innovation and new technologies as the driving force behind wealth creation, quality employment and social prosperity.
As a result of the energy crises in the Seventies, Spain decided to invest heavily in the development of renewable energies, which it has continued to do since then; intensifying these investments in recent years. This approach has enabled a thriving industry to be developed in our country, founded on technological innovation and the use of the abundant home-grown and clean energy resources at Spain’s disposition.
The roll-out of renewable energies across our country has become a model for the world to follow, providing an example of cooperation between the public administration, business and social institutions. This was recognised in a recent report on Spain’s energy sector by the International Energy Agency.
Without doubt, the main factor underpinning our success in integrating these energy sources into the electricity generation system has been the economic and legal framework comprising a system of regulated premiums and feed-in tariffs, which has been in force for the last 30 years and has been subject to ongoing improvements and modifications. This framework is stable but adaptable to the current status of each technology as it matures.
At the end of 2009, renewable energies covered approximately 11% of our final energy consumption, and forecasts for 2020 indicate that we are on course to exceed the target established in the EU Directive on Renewable Energies stipulating that Spain must meet 20% of its gross final energy consumption using renewable energies.
The Spanish renewables sector employs over 200,000 people directly and indirectly and comprises over 4,000 companies of differing sizes and activity, some of which are internationally renowned for their operating capacity and production of proprietary technology.
The best example of the success is that, to date, Spain is the largest solar thermal electric producer in Europe and the second largest in the world; has the second largest wind energy capacity in Europe and the fourth largest worldwide; has the second greatest photovoltaic capacity in both Europe and the world; and is the third largest small hydroelectric producer in Europe.
Through “Renovables Made in Spain”, we want to raise awareness of the business structure and technological development centres that are the lifeblood of this sector in Spain. We also aim to share the Spanish experience with other countries and provide them with the skills and know-how of a country that has proved its drive, innovative ability and maturity through the development of renewable energies.
The project includes a website (www.renovablesmadeinspain.es, www.renovablesmadeinspain.com, and www.renewablesmadeinspain.com) and a catalogue setting out the milestones that Spain has passed in reaching a position of leadership, as well as individual files on the activity of a hundred of our leading companies and technology and research and development centres working in the renewables energies space.
The future will depend on renewable energies. We are confident that this initiative will help Spain to contribute to bringing these energy sources to the whole of Humanity.
