Green light from Brussels to the Spanish anti-blackout mechanism, which includes millionaire aid to electricity companies to guarantee the stability of the electricity supply. The European Commission has authorized the Spanish state to compensate with up to 9 billion euros over 10 years (900 million each year) the most stable technologies – such as gas thermal power plants – so that they provide "firmness" to the electricity system and are available when it is necessary to inject more electricity into the system or control demand.

The largest energy cooperative in Europe is based in Girona. What began in 2010 as a project linked to the UdG seeking to break the oligopoly of the big electricity companies has managed to become a recognized player in the Catalan energy landscape and also in the State as a whole, with 87,000 members.

As Pedro Sánchez announced at the end of last year, the Spanish government has set the goal that, by 2035, no more combustion vehicles will be sold. To achieve this, the head of the executive presented the Auto Spain 2030 Plan, also called the Auto+ plan, which, through 25 measures comprised in five pillars, aims to boost innovation in the automotive industry in Spanish territory. This Thursday, at an event held at Casa Seat in Barcelona, the sector presented the opportunities that the plan can create in Catalonia. "We have a historic opportunity to lead the new era of mobility," assured the CEO of Seat and Cupra, Markus Haupt.

A large part of the world looks with concern towards the Strait of Hormuz, the passage that connects the Persian Gulf with the Indian Ocean and through which a fifth of the hydrocarbons that reached the international market passed before the United States and Israel decided to attack Iran. Hydrocarbons are the basis of fossil fuels (oil and natural gas) and, currently, are essential for generating energy and manufacturing plastics. Many European countries fear that if the war continues and the blockade of the strait persists, as well as attacks on refineries and petrochemical plants in the Middle East, oil derivatives such as kerosene, which powers airplanes, may begin to run out. Faced with this situation, in Spain, eyes are not focused far away, but rather on the eight refineries of Repsol, BP, and Moeve that are still operational – among them, the one in the Tarragona petrochemical complex – which have become a breath of fresh air in the face of the threat of hydrocarbon shortages.

With a global map marked by geopolitical tensions, armed conflicts, and the struggle for hegemony among great powers, the world faces a new stage of uncertainty also in economic terms. “The new signs of the times strengthen nations and countries, by themselves, can do very little,” warned Pol Morillas. According to the president of CIDOB, the global interdependence that for years had contributed to ensuring stability “is now instrumentalized by the great powers” through tariffs or new political pressure formulas, in a context that goes far beyond the conflict in the Strait of Hormuz.

Almost a year ago, the Iberian Peninsula was plunged into darkness for hours. What initially seemed like a daily problem –"did the fuses blow at home?", some wondered– escalated when traffic lights, metros, and social services like hospitals lost power. This also happened when mobile communication stopped working or worked very little, and radio became almost the only channel to try to figure out what was going on. The State suffered an electrical "zero electric", meaning a total collapse of the electrical system: "We estimate to restore supply in about 6 to 10 hours", announced Red Eléctrica, the Spanish electric system operator. In some areas, power was not restored for up to 12 hours.

The fable of the cicada and the ant contrasts those who spend the summer entertained without worrying about winter – the cicada – with those who seek and store food to face the cold months – the ant –. When bad weather arrives, the former finds herself destitute and asks the latter for food, who eventually takes pity on her. During the worst years of the Great Recession, this story resonated across Europe: the State and other southern countries were seen as those who did not do their homework, while the northern countries, led by Germany, were the ants. Dutchman Jeroen Dijsselbloem summed it up like this when he was president of the Eurogroup in 2017: "I cannot spend money on alcohol and women and then ask for help".

The major distribution companies in Spain have warned that private consumption shows "slight signs of exhaustion" caused by the war in Iran, at the annual meeting that the entity grouping them (Aecoc) held this Tuesday in Barcelona. Domestic consumption and investment have marked the good performance of the Spanish economy once the pandemic hecatomb was overcome. Now, the president of Aecoc, José María Bonmatí, has assured that "we are still in very positive ratios", but has warned that "the consumer confidence index is not particularly sky-high". "Crises begin and end when the consumer perceives it that way," he recalled.

After Iran announced the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, oil and gas prices have plummeted in the markets. Specifically, on Friday afternoon, the price of a barrel of Brent crude oil – the benchmark in Europe – fell by more than 10% and stood at around $89. Futures for West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude—the benchmark in the United States—stood at around $83, almost 12% less than on Thursday. At some points during the conflict, the price of a barrel of Brent had touched $120. Despite Friday's drop, the price of oil remains above the $72 it stood at just before the attack by the United States and Israel on Iran.

A few days before the first anniversary of the electrical blackout on April 28th, new details about its possible causes continue to emerge. This Friday, the National Commission of Markets and Competition (CNMC) explained that it has initiated several sanctioning proceedings to determine the circumstances of the blackout. Thus, the regulatory body assures that, as a result of the investigations, "various indications of non-compliance" have been detected, some of which have been maintained for "prolonged periods of time," which could constitute administrative infractions.

The Spanish oil company Repsol has signed an agreement with the Ministry of Hydrocarbons of Venezuela and the state-owned company Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) that will allow it to resume control of operations and increase oil production in the South American country.

Enagás begins a tour to seek Catalonia's complicity with green hydrogen. Specifically, with the infrastructure that will allow its transport. Starting this Tuesday, the Spanish manager of gas infrastructure launches the public participation plan for the hydrogen network in the Principality, through which it plans to gather input from affected territories: from citizen opinion to city councils. To this end, it will hold a total of 16 in-person participatory workshops in different affected municipalities from this April 13th to next May 30th. "The project information will be presented, contributions will be collected, and doubts will be resolved," indicate Enagás sources. The intention is to minimize possible social and political resistances to the project, especially after the experience with infrastructures, now completely stalled, such as the MidCat pipeline that was to connect Catalonia with France.

The cost of producing food is expected to rise in the coming months due to the war in the Middle East. The reason is the dependence of world agriculture on fertilizers, some of the main producers of which are the Persian Gulf countries. The export of these chemical products has been as affected as oil by the conflict, which has led to price increases that will likely be passed on to the final price of food.

The European Union is studying possible measures such as rationing fuel and releasing more oil from strategic reserves in the face of the risk of a "lasting" energy shock resulting from the war in the Middle East, European Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen assured this Friday in an interview with the British newspaper Financial Times. The bloc is evaluating "all options," according to Jørgensen, who warned that "energy prices will be higher for a long time."

The European Union is considering possible measures such as rationing fuel and releasing more oil from strategic reserves in the face of the risk of a "lasting" energy shock stemming from the war in the Middle East, European Commissioner for Energy Dan Jørgensen said this Friday in an interview with the British newspaperFinancial Times. The bloc is evaluating "all options", according to Jørgensen, who warned that "energy prices will be higher for a long time".

The tension around the war with Iran has once again shaken energy markets and driven the price of oil above 110 dollars a barrel. After Donald Trump's speech, in which he avoided specifying when the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened, investors reacted nervously and accelerated crude oil purchases. The West Texas Intermediate (WTI), a benchmark in the United States, has climbed above this threshold —the highest level since March 9— and is heading for its most intense daily increase since 2020, while Brent, a benchmark in Europe, also maintains an upward trend in a context marked by geopolitical uncertainty and the risk of further supply disruptions.

No one could have imagined, when the US and Israel launched the first attacks against Iran on Saturday, February 28, that especially Washington and, specifically, US President Donald Trump, had not foreseen the consequences. The evolution of events makes it increasingly clear: there was no strategy. At least, not on the part of the US. Another thing is the government of Benjamin Netanyahu, which takes advantage of the opportunity to achieve its expansionist goals, with no regard for international law and human rights.

The war in Iran and the resulting increase in energy costs have impacted inflation in Spain. Thus, the cost of living for families this March has notably increased compared to February, as a result of the rise in prices of fuels and electricity.

The war in Iran and the resulting energy price increase have impacted inflation in Spain. Thus, the cost of living for families this March has become notably more expensive compared to February, as a result of the rise in prices of fuels and electricity.

On October 6, 1973, thousands of Israeli soldiers were forced to eat. That day, the country was celebrating Yom Kippur, one of Judaism's holiest holidays, characterized by fasting and prayer, when it was attacked militarily by Egypt and Syria. Many members of the army had to postpone their celebrations. This war, which lasted about three weeks, was another episode in the Arab-Israeli conflict. But at the same time, it marked a turning point for the global economy, as the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC, comprised mainly of Arab states) implemented a crude oil embargo on Western countries (the United States and some allies, primarily European), which caused prices to skyrocket and triggered the first of the oil crises of the 1970s and early 1980s.