84% of the energy produced in Aragon is renewable, far exceeding the 50% of the Spanish average

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is almost a reality. 84% of the energy produced in Aragon is renewable. This means that, in terms of energy sustainability, the region is already meeting some of the goals set for 2030.

Specifically, the ratios on energy production set by the European Directive in 2009 established that renewables should represent 34.24% of the total. State planning indicated 32% and the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNICEC), in the 2024 review, sets a sustainable goal of 48%. Therefore, today, “Aragon is already meeting the objectives for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions ,” said the Director General of Energy and Mines, Yolanda Vallés, on Tuesday.

In the face of the good news, Vallés has recalled that there are still challenges ahead, both at the Aragonese and national level. He has pointed out two points on the road to the future: on the one hand, he has pointed out the need to improve the infrastructure of the transport network and its distribution, “to ensure what is produced”; as well as to reduce the volatility of oil prices, since “they can represent a significant economic burden in terms of energy”. This figure far exceeds the Spanish average, which is 50% renewable production.

The document also indicates that Aragon produces 8% of Spain’s total electricity and 12% of all renewable energy . In the Aragonese community, 54.6% of the energy generated is wind energy, compared to the national average of 12%, and 16.2% is solar photovoltaic energy, compared to 14% at the Spanish level.

Primary energy consumption (energy from all natural sources, such as renewables, natural gas or coal) has decreased in Aragon by 1.71% compared to what was quantified in 2022. Of all these forms of energy, renewables represent 45.6% (in 2022 it was 5% less).

Renewable energy generation alone covers 179.1% of Aragon’s electricity consumption. A figure that is based primarily on the growth of wind and solar photovoltaic energy due to the start-up of new installations. The community has an installed capacity of 11,043 MW, with 72% of the total in Spain being renewable energy.

In fact, this potential expansion of renewable energy will go even further in the community. The Government of Aragon has opened the process of processing more than 10,000 MG for 122 wind installations (which will generate 3,457 MG) and 617 photovoltaic parks . This represents 23% of the installations that the community currently has. 

These figures are an indication of the “favourable” situation in Aragon. Not only because the community exceeds the national average, nor because it is above the milestones set by the energy plans already outlined. For the Director General of Energy and Mines, the data indicate that the situation in Aragon is very good because “the Ministry’s criteria prioritise local consumption and that will help us to continue being attractive to investors ”.

This question of positioning, both in terms of local consumption and at the levels of production and self-consumption, has to be, according to Vallés, “a competitive element” that plays in favour of Aragonese companies in our energy policy. “We have energy, territory and a large capacity that we have to take advantage of,” he explained.

CONSUMPTION DATA

Regarding energy consumption, in 2023 there was a reduction in the territory of 1.71%. A fall sponsored by the growth of photovoltaic self-consumption installations. Installations of this type have doubled in one year, going from 6,216 (171,000 kW) in 2022 to 12,318 (450,875) in 2023.

In total, 45% of the energy consumed in the community came from renewable energies (4.7% more than in 2022), 27.5% from petroleum products (-2.6) and 26.7% from natural gas (-3.6%). By business sectors, and once consumption by energy industries was eliminated, industry accounted for 38.9% of the total, transport 31.3%, services 20.17% and agriculture 9.56%.