En Espagne, la révolution des renouvelables devrait contenir les factures malgré la flambée du gaz

fr.euronews.com ∙ 6 days ago

En Espagne, la révolution des renouvelables devrait contenir les factures malgré la flambée du gaz

Top line

Spain's substantial renewable energy expansion has significantly insulated its electricity prices from global gas crises, resulting in lower bills and reduced import dependency.

Summary

Amidst a global energy crisis exacerbated by geopolitical tensions and soaring gas prices, Spain stands out as a nation better prepared due to its substantial investments in renewable energy since 2019. By doubling its wind and solar capacity and adding over 40 GW, Spain has significantly reduced its electricity price dependency on volatile gas markets, leading to lower consumer bills and substantial savings on fuel imports. Reports indicate that the influence of fossil fuels on electricity prices has decreased by 75%, and Spain has cut its import bill more than any other EU country, avoiding billions in gas costs. This strategic shift, moving away from coal reliance, has resulted in some of Europe's lowest electricity prices. While energy storage remains an area for development, the long-term, fixed-cost nature of renewables offers greater stability compared to the unpredictable prices of fossil fuels, positioning Spain as a model for energy resilience and potentially accelerating the broader transition to clean energy worldwide.

Highlights

A hypothetical geopolitical event (e.g., 'war in Iran') has triggered a global energy crisis, with fears of rising energy bills due to potential disruptions in Middle Eastern energy exports and soaring gas prices.
Spain is presented as being better equipped to handle these energy shocks due to significant investments in renewable energy sources.
Since 2019, Spain has doubled its wind and solar capacity, adding over 40 GW, a pace second only to Germany within the EU, despite Germany's larger electricity market.
This expansion means Spain's electricity prices are far less dependent on the volatile cost of natural gas, which reportedly surged by 55% following the hypothetical crisis's onset.
According to an Ember report, the growth of wind and solar power in Spain has reduced the influence of expensive fossil fuel power plants on electricity prices by 75% since 2019.
The reduction in hours where electricity prices were indexed to gas costs has been faster in Spain than in other gas-dependent nations like Italy and Germany.
Experts, including UN Secretary-General António Guterres, emphasize the vulnerability of countries dependent on imported fossil fuels, whose supply is concentrated in a few regions prone to conflict.
Between 2020 and 2024, Spain reportedly reduced its electricity sector's import bill more than any other EU country, avoiding gas imports worth €13.5 billion (26 billion cubic meters of gas).
Spain has ceased coal-fired power generation (mentioned as August 2025, likely illustrative), a stark contrast to a decade prior when coal accounted for a quarter of its electricity production.
The shift to renewables has led to household energy bills in Spain being among the lowest in Europe, a trend observed to continue into early March of an unspecified year (likely 2026 contextually).
Spain's energy storage capacity, specifically its battery park (120 MW), is noted as relatively low, ranking 13th in Europe, indicating an area for improvement.
Renewable energy sources (wind, solar) are characterized by fixed, one-time costs, unlike fossil fuels which require continuous purchases at unpredictable prices, making renewables more economically stable.
An expert suggests preferring imports of solar panels and batteries (manufactured in China) over oil and gas from the Gulf due to the long-term cost structure of renewables.
A UK Climate Change Committee report indicates that the total cost of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 is comparable to a single major fossil fuel price shock.
Simulations suggest that a country on a carbon neutrality path would experience much smaller household bill increases during an energy crisis than one not pursuing such goals.
Geopolitical conflicts are seen as potential catalysts for accelerating the shift towards green electricity, offering greater stability than fossil fuels and encouraging national energy self-sufficiency.
The installation of more solar panels and heat pumps is predicted in the short term, driven by the desire to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels.
Citizens can contribute to reducing a country's fossil fuel dependence by adopting technologies like heat pumps, electric vehicles, wind turbines, and solar panels.

En Espagne, la révolution des renouvelables devrait contenir les factures malgré la flambée du gaz

fr.euronews.com ∙ 6 days ago

Top line

Spain's substantial renewable energy expansion has significantly insulated its electricity prices from global gas crises, resulting in lower bills and reduced import dependency.

Summary

Highlights

A hypothetical geopolitical event (e.g., 'war in Iran') has triggered a global energy crisis, with fears of rising energy bills due to potential disruptions in Middle Eastern energy exports and soaring gas prices.
Spain is presented as being better equipped to handle these energy shocks due to significant investments in renewable energy sources.
Since 2019, Spain has doubled its wind and solar capacity, adding over 40 GW, a pace second only to Germany within the EU, despite Germany's larger electricity market.
This expansion means Spain's electricity prices are far less dependent on the volatile cost of natural gas, which reportedly surged by 55% following the hypothetical crisis's onset.
According to an Ember report, the growth of wind and solar power in Spain has reduced the influence of expensive fossil fuel power plants on electricity prices by 75% since 2019.
The reduction in hours where electricity prices were indexed to gas costs has been faster in Spain than in other gas-dependent nations like Italy and Germany.
Experts, including UN Secretary-General António Guterres, emphasize the vulnerability of countries dependent on imported fossil fuels, whose supply is concentrated in a few regions prone to conflict.
Between 2020 and 2024, Spain reportedly reduced its electricity sector's import bill more than any other EU country, avoiding gas imports worth €13.5 billion (26 billion cubic meters of gas).
Spain has ceased coal-fired power generation (mentioned as August 2025, likely illustrative), a stark contrast to a decade prior when coal accounted for a quarter of its electricity production.
The shift to renewables has led to household energy bills in Spain being among the lowest in Europe, a trend observed to continue into early March of an unspecified year (likely 2026 contextually).
Spain's energy storage capacity, specifically its battery park (120 MW), is noted as relatively low, ranking 13th in Europe, indicating an area for improvement.
Renewable energy sources (wind, solar) are characterized by fixed, one-time costs, unlike fossil fuels which require continuous purchases at unpredictable prices, making renewables more economically stable.
An expert suggests preferring imports of solar panels and batteries (manufactured in China) over oil and gas from the Gulf due to the long-term cost structure of renewables.
A UK Climate Change Committee report indicates that the total cost of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 is comparable to a single major fossil fuel price shock.
Simulations suggest that a country on a carbon neutrality path would experience much smaller household bill increases during an energy crisis than one not pursuing such goals.
Geopolitical conflicts are seen as potential catalysts for accelerating the shift towards green electricity, offering greater stability than fossil fuels and encouraging national energy self-sufficiency.
The installation of more solar panels and heat pumps is predicted in the short term, driven by the desire to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels.
Citizens can contribute to reducing a country's fossil fuel dependence by adopting technologies like heat pumps, electric vehicles, wind turbines, and solar panels.