An EU study questions the Compromís plan to install renewables on rooftops

The socialist MEP Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero yesterday asked the Valencian Administrations for speed when approving and committing to renewable energies.

Thomas Osborne
Thomas Osborne
04 January 2023 Wednesday 23:32
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An EU study questions the Compromís plan to install renewables on rooftops

The socialist MEP Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero yesterday asked the Valencian Administrations for speed when approving and committing to renewable energies. Although the PSPV leader left the door open for Europe to be flexible in terms of dates so that the projects with the most problems can also go ahead, Rodríguez-Piñero did emphasize that the European Union has sent a clear message to debureaucratize the implementation of being energetic and that "Spain and the Valencian Community must be up to the task given that there is a lot at stake".

In this sense, he highlighted that the studies of the European Commission question the commitment of some sectors and parties to self-consumption and rooftops: "You cannot focus on rooftops to meet the objectives of the green transition" of the EU, said Rodríguez-Piñero.

According to the work A high-resolution geospatial assessment of the rooftop solar photovoltaic potential in the European Union, covering all rooftops in the European Union, only would achieve 24.4% of energy needs. A figure that in the case of Spain would rise to something more, although reaching an insufficient percentage of 28%.

These data would question the commitment of Compromís -which former coalition officials such as the former director general of Ecological Transition Pedro Fresco described as "unscientific"- and which had an impact on prioritizing the installation of plates on private and public roofs, avoiding the installation of macro-plants to safeguard the environment.

A very different approach to that of the Socialists that caused significant disagreements within the Valencian government, although it finally seems that a minimum consensus has been reached between the partners to unlock most of the files that remained blocked before the deadlines expire. .

In this context, Rodríguez-Piñero stressed that climate change "is very serious" and that the implementation of renewables must be "effective and realistic". Thus, he pointed out that the future update of the European directive to speed up the implementation of renewables and reduce both dependence on other energy sources and mitigate emissions is aimed at reducing project administrative management times.

Thus, the new text, which is still being negotiated, proposes that solar plants be authorized in a maximum of between 6 and 9 months "to reduce greenhouse gas emissions."

In a press conference to take stock of 2022 and examine the challenges for the EU this year that is now beginning, Rodríguez-Piñero stressed that "the green transition must be effective in ending dependence on fossil fuels while at the same time give our industry time for that fundamental change."

A complicated balance, he explained, which he believes has been achieved with the ETS (European Emissions Trading Scheme) regulation for the maritime sector that "has saved the port of Valencia and the Valencian shipping companies from high costs and the possibility of losing traffic maritime".