The energy transition has become a necessity for the Catalan industry, both for regulatory and competitive reasons. In a scenario of instability and high fluctuations in energy prices, the dependence of a part of the Catalan industry on fossil sources can pose a problem for its competitiveness and even for its survival.
According to the latest data from the Institut Català d'Energia, 46% of the energy consumed by the industry came from natural gas and 37.9% from electricity. "It is estimated that 20% of the energy consumed by the Catalan industry came from renewable sources," explains Albert Concepción, director of the Industry and Energy Forum (FIE). In addition, "it is certain that these figures have taken a positive turn towards a greater relevance of electrical energy in the energy mix, but the bulk of electricity is not renewable sources, but natural gas or nuclear energy."
The director of the FIE highlights the enormous importance of energy, which "is the key to the range of our economy and all those of the world," he adds. There is the particularity that in Catalonia the presence of renewable energies, to this day, continues to be scarce. The reasons can be diverse, among them, a wide population density and industrial fabric, which greatly reduces the space available for the development of renewable parks.
Taking this scenario into account, the challenge of decarbonising the Catalan industry is especially complex. The European Green Pact establishes the objective that 40% of the energy be generated from renewables, in 2030, and, in this line, the Generalitat de Catalunya, in the Prospective Energy of Catalonia (Proencat 2050), contemplates as goals achieve climate neutrality in 2050, abandon the fossil-nuclear energy model and achieve energy sovereignty with renewable energies, and all this while minimizing the occupation of the territory.
A challenge that involves the administration and all industrial sectors. For the expert in energy management and IQS professor Pere Palacín, "we are facing a key moment in which we have to make decisions, find out what the real situation is and the needs of the industry, make an assessment of the different energy management models and coordinate between the different administrations, from the European to the municipal.
"Energy management is a key element to maintain competitiveness and attract and strengthen the industrial fabric," he adds. With the aim of analyzing this situation and proposing and assessing alternatives and solutions, the next September 13 is held in Barcelona, FIE2023, a meeting organized by the Industry and Energy Forum, with the collaboration of the Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona, the consulting firm R
In this line, the FIE2023 will count, as an independent platform, with the participation of authorities such as the mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni; the representative of the European Commission for Energy, Ruud Kempener; an important presence of the Generalitat de Catalunya and the Spanish Government, as well as the leader of the opposition in Parliament, Salvador Illa. FIE2023 will have two exceptional guests: the former presidents of the Generalitat José Montilla and Artur Mas, who will maintain a dialogue to offer clues about the current situation of energy management in the industry in Catalonia and, above all, what are the future perspectives.
More information and registration: https://foroindustriayenergia.com/fie2023/
