Electrifying to transform: a day to rethink Catalonia's energy model
Experts and institutional representatives analyze how to move towards cleaner, more efficient and sovereign demand at the third edition of the ARA-CEEC Conversations
BarcelonaDecarbonizing strategic sectors, promoting self-consumption, and reducing energy dependence on foreign sources. These are three of the major challenges facing Catalonia's energy system, but also three crucial opportunities to completely rethink it. To address these challenges and move towards a cleaner, more efficient, and more sovereign model, there is a key element: the electrification of demand. This was the starting point for the third edition of the ARA-CEEC Conversations, a conference co-organized by the newspaper ARA and the Catalan Energy Efficiency Cluster (CEEC), with the collaboration of Estabanell, which brought together experts, institutions, and companies to analyze how to transform the country's energy consumption in a sustainable way.
The event, held at the Ateneu Barcelonès, began with an institutional welcome from Pablo Casals, general manager of the newspaper ARA, and Joaquim Daura, president of the Catalan Energy Efficiency Cluster. Casals emphasized the newspaper's commitment to discussions connecting energy transition, innovation, and social responsibility, and defended the role of information as a key tool for driving this transformation: "We are a media outlet that is committed to a sustainable model, both in our operations and in how we report on the country." For his part, Daura stressed the need for electrification to keep Catalonia's industrial heartland alive. "Without energy, we will have no industry," he stated, asserting that Catalan industry has already made significant progress in decarbonization and efficiency, citing examples such as the Roca Group and Schneider Electric.
Towards the new energy model
With this initial framework, a conversation ensued between Xavier Grau, head of Economics at the newspaper ARA, and Tomás Gómez, professor of electrical engineering at the School of Engineering of the Comillas Pontifical University and former advisor to the National Energy Commission. Gómez argued that the energy transition cannot depend solely on supply, but that it is necessary to stimulate demand to guarantee the system's balance. "We are moving faster in supply than in demand," he warned, and cautioned that if electrification is not accelerated in sectors such as housing, transportation, and industry, low prices could stifle investment in renewables. He also emphasized the need to strengthen distribution networks and digitize them to make them more flexible and efficient, and advocated for realistic planning that allows for the coordination of public and private investment. "We can have the cheapest energy in Europe, but we must build the networks properly," he concluded.
The day continued with a roundtable discussion that brought together several professionals from the sector to analyze, from a practical and managerial perspective, how to move towards a fully electrified demand powered by renewable sources. Participants included Lídia Caba, director of the marketing subsidiary of Estabanell; Ignasi Cañagueral, director of Dow's production center in Tarragona and president of the Industry Commission of Foment del Treball Nacional; Héctor Calls, director of Environmental Sustainability and Energy Transition at the Port of Barcelona; and Joan Herrera, partner at the energy services company Samso. The discussion provided an opportunity to address specific cases, share experiences, and address the challenges facing companies and public administrations in this energy transformation process.
Lídia Caba opened the discussion by reminding everyone that electrification cannot be understood without putting consumers at the center. "We must make citizens feel part of this transition and understand why it's important to change their habits," she stated. For Ignasi Cañagueral, it is necessary to guarantee energy planning that responds to the needs of industry and does not hinder its potential. "We cannot have industry without energy, and energy must be reliable and affordable," he pointed out.
From the Port of Barcelona, Héctor Calls defended the need to advance the electrification of logistics infrastructure as a key element in reducing emissions, but also warned that "energy must be available where and when we need it." Finally, Joan Herrera focused on the role of digitalization in empowering demand. "There will be no energy transition if we don't empower consumers to actively and intelligently manage their consumption," he stated.
The closing ceremony was led by Francesc Ribera. cluster manager The CEEC, which summarized the day's events, called for a stable framework to stimulate demand, boost efficiency, and guarantee long-term investments. "Without certainty, the energy transition will not be possible," it concluded.
