The existence of a number of natural gas combined cycle electrical power plants, offering high performance and low emissions, has helped reduce emissions from the Spanish electrical system.
In early December 2009 the Ministry of the Environment announced that Spain would be involved in nine projects to reduce emissions in third countries, one of the compensation mechanisms covered by the Kyoto Protocol.
These new projects now bring to 119 the total number of letters of approval issued by the designated authority for this field. The projects will represent a reduction of 142 million tonnes of CO2 over the period from 2008 to 2012. 40% of the projects are located in Latin America, and 48% in Asia.
Biofuel output in Spain (and in Europe in general) has continued to experience difficulties as a result of the influx of subsidised products from the USA and certain other countries. Of the 36 plants in existence in Spain, almost half are closed or working below their capacity. The Commission has established new tariff barriers for imports from certain countries.
Nonetheless, a level of output has been maintained, in particular among the largest petrol and diesel producers. The aim is to fulfil Order ITC 2877/2008, which sets an objective for 3.4% and 5.8% of fuel energy content to come from biofuels in the years 2009 and 2010, respectively.
The level of the current government's commitment to renewable energies for the generation of electricity is not receiving unanimous support. Certain groups feel that the cost impact on the price of the electrical energy being sold is excessive. The aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions could also be achieved, they argue, through more balanced support for renewables and systems for the capture and storage of such harmful gases.
They meanwhile point out that the studies published suggest that in 2030 hydrocarbons will be meeting three quarters of the world's energy needs and that coal and natural gas will (accounting for some 70% of the new installed power) be the sources of energy used by most new electrical power plants built between now and then.
