Por Helena Francesconi and Maria Toffano
Electricity price breaks records in Spain and even surpasses 180 euros per megawatt hour. The energy crisis is a reality around the world, and it's no different in Europe. Given this scenario, Spain is involved in a global trend towards the search for renewable energy in the face of taxation of carbon dioxide-emitting fossil energy sources. However,, energy consumption remains too high to be supplied only by clean energy, what made the country look for other matrices, resulting in an increase of 34,9% of the energy price in relation to the previous year, also amplifying political tensions.
Spain produces practically no natural gas and its reserves are negligible, so it depends on imports to meet your demand., in addition to being one of the countries in Europe that most relies on natural gas to produce electricity. Conforme o The World Factbook – CIA, in 2017 Spain consumed approximately 31,27 billion cubic meters, being right behind Brazil with 34,35 billion cubic meters, by comparing the size and population of the two countries, it is possible to understand how gas plays a leading role in Spanish territory. Being in a position of sensitivity due to your energy poverty, Spain even requested changes to the rules that set energy prices in the European Union, which were not answered. The main suppliers for the Spanish region are Endesa, Iberdrola and Naturgys, which provide energy, mainly, derived from renewable sources, nuclear and fossil. However, when demand is very high, they use the gas to supplement, resulting in a higher price, since Spain produces practically no gas and imports mainly from Algeria (52% of imports), from Qatar and Nigeria.
This critical financial scenario has generated political tensions., since the current Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, was accused of not taking action to avoid the high in the accounts, making individuals from your coalition, like the minister of labor, Yolanda Diaz, call for greater government intervention in the economy. Given this situation, there is a big movement by the Spaniards against the increase in energy prices.
To solve the controversial energy price spike and slow down environmental problems, the Spanish government acts with the goal of increasing the inclusion of solar and wind energy, not to depend on the rising cost of natural gas and the licenses that the European Union requires for burning carbon, the well-known "Carbon Certificates". these certificates, that seek to discourage emissions of gases linked to the greenhouse effect, give the right to release the dioxide as long as you pay per ton emitted, which increasingly aggravates the price situation. According to a search da Bloomberg NEF, it is more profitable for Spain to switch to clean energy sources than to insist on fossil fuels.
Meanwhile, the Spanish government continues with new measures to get through this crisis. SĂĄnchez shared that the Council of Ministers will approve the reduction of the special tax on electricity from 5,1% for 0,5%. Also to mitigate the negative consequences, the value added tax (VAT) about electricity was decreased from 21% for 10%. The prime minister also claimed that Spain must continue to protect vulnerable consumers and that a modernization of the energy market is needed.. Like this, taking into account climate change and new ecological laws, Spain continues to deal with its energy instability as it seeks to implement a renewable matrix.
References
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