In a bid to enhance its energy and climate ambitions, Spain is poised to double its 2030 biogas production target and almost triple its green hydrogen goal, according to a draft of the government's strategy unveiled on Wednesday. The comprehensive plan also encompasses higher targets for solar and wind power capacity, as well as energy storage and other initiatives, solidifying Spain's commitment to clean energy development.
As Spain gears up for national elections next month, energy has become a highly debated topic, with the opposition People's Party (PP) – the front-runner in the polls – advocating for a reversal of the planned phase-out of Spain's nuclear power plants.
The draft climate strategy outlines a 2030 target of 11 gigawatts (GW) for electrolysers, which will be instrumental in producing green hydrogen, marking a significant increase from the previous target of 4 GW. Additionally, the plan aims to double the target for biogas production to 20 terawatt hours (TWh).
Furthermore, the updated strategy raises the targets for wind generation capacity to 62 GW, up from 50 GW, photovoltaic solar generation capacity to approximately 76 GW, and power storage capacity to 22 GW.
According to the draft, renewables are expected to contribute to 81% of the country's electricity production by 2030.
These ambitious measures are projected to help Spain reduce its emissions of climate-warming gases by 32% from 1990 levels, in line with previous reports from Reuters. The new target surpasses the previous goal of 23%.
Pedro Zorrilla, Chief of Greenpeace Spain's climate change campaign, expressed his opinion on the draft, stating, “The plan takes new steps in the right direction in the fight against the climate emergency but it still falls short.” Zorrilla emphasized that the objective should be to reduce emissions by at least 55%.
The strategy is expected to attract investments totaling around 294 billion euros ($322 billion), with approximately 85% coming from the private sector and the remainder from public funds, including those from the European Union. This estimation underscores Spain's growing appeal as a highly attractive and reliable country for investments, as highlighted by Energy Minister Teresa Ribera during a dialogue with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
The plan reaffirms Spain's commitment to phasing out nuclear energy and accelerates the country's exit from coal, now scheduled for 2025 instead of the previously targeted 2030.
Sanchez and Ribera criticized the opposition PP party's push to extend the lifespan of the country's nuclear power plants, questioning who would bear the financial burden. “Who would pay for it? The citizen directly or the state, that is, the citizen again, indirectly,” stated Sanchez. The energy minister warned that maintaining the reactors is not economically viable.
The draft plan predicts the creation of over half a million new jobs and a 2.5% boost to the economy by the end of the decade.
Like other European nations, Spain had a deadline at the end of June to submit an updated draft proposal to the European Commission. The release of the draft initiates a public consultation period that will extend until September 4. The final plan is expected to be delivered by June of next year.
