Spain: (1) Do more to adhere to the EU pledge to cut emissions by 40% below 1990 levels by 2030; (2) Provide support for the use of electric vehicles
According to the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) pledge of the European Union (EU) and its Member States, the target for 2030 is “to cut emissions in EU territory by at least 40% percent below1990 levels.” But a recent study made by the ESADE on April of 2017, says that the greenhouse emissions of Spain have increased 14% compared to 1990. Spain is facing a bigger challenge than the rest of the member states of the EU, being the only one that has not been able to lower its greenhouse emissions.
In Spain, according to data released in April 2017, the main greenhouse emitters are the energy and transportation industries representing 26% and 25%, respectively of Spain’s total GHG emissions The only activity with emissions significantly lower than the ones reported in 1990 are solid fuels with a reduction of 90%.
According to the consulting firm Monitor Deloitte, Spain needs to increase its percentage of electric vehicles through programs that would make them look attractive to the public in a matter of cost and efficiency. The funding for a program like this would be 700 million euros annually for the next 13 years, which would include the funding to subsidize the acquisition of the vehicles and for the construction of charging stations across the country. The funding for the subsidy should start covering around 20% of the cost of the vehicle and as the number of vehicles increases the subsidy should start decreasing to a point where the price could be comparable to the price of a conventional vehicle. By 2040, it says, to sell vehicles with internal combustion engines should be prohibited.
The University of Stanford says that the transition to 100% renewable energy is possible. According to the study, Spain could be powered by onshore wind 25.7%, solar plants 23.3%, concentrated solar plants 11%, and other renewable sources 40% . That would be shared among rooftop solar, offshore wind, hydroelectric, wave energy, tidal turbines and geothermal energy. The study comments that if Spain is 100% powered by renewable energy, the demand for energy would be 44% less than if it were powered by fossil fuels.