oxygen 11 – 10.2010
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The Spanish renewable energy “bubble”
together and collaborate on devel-
establish a 40,000 t/y ethanol plant
oping technological innovation.
in Piedmont, the largest in Europe.
The ENEA agency has made a
Potential related to the many prom-
commitment alongside the pub-
ising technologies for our country
by Carmen Monforte
European Union in 2007 makes a
lic decision-makers and industrial
(from thermal sources, primarily
The model of renewable
distinction between “effective”
operators to support the choices
solar and bio-mass, to photovoltaic
energy in Spain would be very
and “efficient,” with the perspec-
of investments at the base of a
and new generation bio-fuels, to
effective, seeing as the country
tive in 2020 of producing 20% of
sustainable energy system through
solar concentration) is associated
is the world leader for capa-
the final consumption of energy
the skills and experiences devel-
with investment opportunities in
city and production, but it is
from renewable sources. In the
oped in its scientific laboratories.
the sector of transportation infra-
inefficient. The incentives for
first case, the objective is to be
Among the agency’s R & D activi-
structures and energy distribution
promoting this kind of energy
reached at any price, whereas in
ties, given the significant weight of
- which the widespread use of
exceed the European average
the second, there is an eye towards
bio-mass in the medium-long term
renewables depends upon - and
but they have not been plan-
limiting the costs. The model of re-
scenarios, are those of new genera-
investments are needed in order
ned adequately. We can learn
newable energy in Spain would be
tion bio-mass for the production
to develop systems for the ”intel-
some lessons from what has
very effective, seeing as the coun-
and enhancement of micro-algae
ligent” management of the energy
happened in the Spanish mar-
try is the world leader for capacity
and other photosynthetic micro-
flow (Smart Grids).
ket of renewable energy...
and production, but it is inefficient
added to the fee. How did this situation come to pass? A reported drawn up by the
organisms designed especially for
since the incentives for promoting
the production of renewable en-
Economists assure us that all the
this kind of energy exceed the Eu-
ergy. The expected results of this
speculation bubbles are about to
ropean average but have not been
research technology, whose ma-
burst. In Spain, as in other coun-
planned adequately. Thus, the tra-
turity is conceivable in the medium
tries, this has already happened
ditional power plants exist along-
to long term, would have an enor-
with the stock market bubble, the
side or are substituted by wind or
mous impact on all industries pro-
real estate bubble and even that of
photo-voltaic parks that are cover-
ducing bio-fuels such as bio-diesel,
salaries. But another bubble hov-
ing the landscape.
bio-ethanol hydrogen and bio-gas.
ering in the air is contributing to
The following factors have con-
The achievement of the EU goal
the collapse of the system: that of
tributed to the collapse that the
of using bio-fuels for 10% of the
renewable energies and, more pre-
Government is trying, not very
transportation system by 2020 is
cisely, from photo-voltaic sources.
successfully, to control: a juicy
an especially difficult challenge for
This technology, together with
remuneration, which is very long-
a country like Italy, with its temper-
wind and solar thermal energy,
term in some cases, which has
ate climate and high population
is highly financed with a recom-
facilitated speculation; administra-
density. A very interesting alterna-
pense mechanism, which in 2009
tive errors and fraud when permits
tive to importing bio-fuels is the use
represented almost a third of the
were assigned; and the economic
of lignocellulosic bio-mass (waste
total cost of the incentive fees of
crisis. With the fall of the demand
from agriculture, forestry, MSW or-
access to the networks: 6,200 mil-
for energy in 2009, the over-sized
ganic parts or ad hoc organic crops)
lion Euros for an estimated fee of
production capacity of the system
to be processed into a carrier liquid
slightly over 16,000 million. This is
came to light (in some of the coun-
to be injected into the network.
still an important fact: almost half
try’s northern industrial areas, the
Here is where the capability of our
of these funds went to the 51,000
excess amount even reached 50%)
system to overcome any natural
photo-voltaic plants installed in the
so that the power plants utilizing
disability with scientific and tech-
nation, with 3,400 MW of power
indigenous coal have been practi-
nological answers that can exploit
which has produced only 4% of
cally inactive for more than a year.
available resources comes into play.
its electricity. The other half comes
In recent years, the map of renew-
The production of bio-ethanol with
from the 17,400 wind plants, a
able sources in Spain has changed
second generation processes based
more mature technology that rep-
radically and the data of the Com-
on hydro-thermal pretreatment,
resents 20% of its production. The
misión Nacional de la Energía (CNE)
in which ENEA has been investing
solar thermal systems are still in the
is very eloquent. In 2004, only 23
for years, sees national companies
pioneering phase (10 plants for 380
MW of photo-voltaic power were
such as Chemtex of the Mossi &
MW), but the 2,500 MW author-
installed, receiving 6 million in al-
Ghisolfi group flanked by ENEA to
ized seem frightening for the cost
locations; at the end of 2009, the