Catalonia continues to lag behind in renewable energy production: it ranks at the bottom of the list in Spain and Europe. It's proving very difficult, far too difficult, to catch up. Brussels' demands and our own commitments, approved by Parliament in 2017, are ambitious: by 2030, 50% of electricity demand should be covered by renewable energy, and by 2050, the goal is for clean energy to meet all demand. Right now, these targets seem unattainable. We have a serious problem.
Last year, more than 50% of electricity production in Catalonia came from nuclear power plants—which, incidentally, have an expiration date, as Ascó I, Ascó II, and Vandellós II are scheduled to close between 2030 and 2035—while total renewable energy production fell short. This leaves us with five years to reach the desired and necessary 50%. Is it even possible? The situation is worrying. And the latest data is anything but encouraging. Renewable energy production in Catalonia reached 1,497 GWh in the third quarter of this year, which is 4.5% less than in the same period last year and contrasts sharply with the 2% increase across Spain as a whole, according to data from the quarterly report of the Renewable Energy Observatory. This is bad news.
The main reason for this decline is the drop in wind power production, which has plummeted by 26.3%. This fall has been mitigated by the growth of hydraulics(16.7%) and photovoltaics (11.3%). Wind farms, although unpopular due to their visual impact, are absolutely necessary if we want to make consistent progress towards a net-zero energy future. Catalonia has sun and wind. We must take advantage of it. We can aspire to be an energy-neutral and sustainable territory. But the involvement of everyone is necessary: the public and private sectors, and an essential citizen consensus that currently does not exist. Until public opinion shifts on this issue, it will be difficult to move forward. So far, resistance has significantly hampered the implementation of solar and wind farms.
It seems the Government is aware that it must decisively promote renewables, and that this must be done in dialogue with territorial and economic stakeholders, but without further delay. In reality, we are in a critical situation. Either we accelerate the process or we'll have to extend the lifespan of aging nuclear power plants, which, although they don't emit carbon and therefore don't worsen the climate crisis, do produce radioactive waste.
In recent weeks The new renewable energy decree has been approvedTo boost green energy generation facilities, the Minister of Territory, Silvia Paneque, has already completed the preliminary work for the PLATER (Territorial Plan for Renewable Energies), which is currently being presented in the different regions and is intended to facilitate new installations. The territorial reception and implementation of this plan will be key to focusing and increasing renewable energy production in the coming years. Catalonia is at an energy crossroads: it is imperative to get to work on solar and wind power to guarantee a green future.
