Spain: Plan to Phase Out Fossil Fuel by 2030

The initiative calls for three coordinated actions: ending the expansion of fossil fuels, phasing out existing production, and enabling a just transition to renewable energy.

Spain has an opportunity to become one of the first major economies to fully phase out fossil fuels by 2030 while supporting the goals of the Fossil Fuel NonProliferation Treaty Initiative. The initiative calls for three coordinated actions: ending the expansion of fossil fuels, phasing out existing production, and enabling a just transition to renewable energy.

Spain already has strong renewable potential, particularly in solar and wind power. However, fossil fuels still dominate parts of its energy system, especially transport, industry, and naturalgas power generation. This plan proposes policies to eliminate fossil fuel production, consumption, imports, and exports by 2030.

  1. Current Fossil Fuel Production, Consumption, Imports, and Exports in Spain

Coal: Domestic coal production effectively ended in 2019. Spain still consumes about 7.3 million tonnes annually and imports roughly 9.8 million tonnes.

Oil: Spain produces very little oil domestically. Production is roughly 76,900 barrels per day, while consumption is approximately 1.32 million barrels per day. The country imports about 64.6 million tonnes of crude oil each year and exports around 22 million tonnes of refined petroleum products.

Natural Gas: Domestic production is minimal at roughly 34 million cubic meters annually. Spain consumes about 29 billion cubic meters of gas per year and imports around 35 billion cubic meters through pipelines and LNG terminals.

In the overall energy mix, fossil fuels represent roughly 68 percent of Spain’s primary energy consumption, although renewable energy capacity is rapidly increasing.

  1. Policies to End Fossil Fuel Production

Spain will adopt a national ban on fossil fuel production by 2026. New exploration licenses for oil and gas will be canceled, and remaining extraction sites will be gradually closed by 2028. A transition fund will support workers affected by these closures.

Responsible institutions include the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, the Spanish Parliament, and national energy regulators. Progress will be measured through annual production statistics, the number of active extraction licenses, and worker transition data.

  1. Policies to End Fossil Fuel Consumption

Electricity: Spain will accelerate the transition to 100-percent renewable electricity by 2030 through largescale solar and wind deployment, battery storage investments, and the modernization of the national electricity grid.

Transport: The EU’s sales ban on new gasoline and diesel vehicles by 2035 is no longer on the EU agenda. The government will expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure and electrify public transport systems. Progress will be measured by EV market share and reductions in oil demand.

Buildings: Gas boilers will be banned in new installations starting in 2027. Heat pumps, district heating, and building-efficiency retrofits will replace fossilfuel heating systems.

  1. Policies to End Fossil Fuel Imports and Exports

Spain will implement a gradual reduction in fossil fuel imports: 20 percent by 2026, 40 percent by 2027, 60 percent by 2028, 80 percent by 2029, and full elimination by 2030.

Petroleum refineries will transition toward renewable fuels and green hydrogen production. Fossil fuel export activity will be phased out by the end of the decade.

  1. Just Transition Programs

A national just transition program will ensure workers and communities benefit from the transition. Programs will include retraining for renewable energy jobs, regional economic diversification funds, and public investment in renewable industries. The transition could generate up to 300,000 new renewable energy jobs by 2030.

Spain is well-positioned to lead the global transition away from fossil fuels. With strong renewable resources and existing climate policy frameworks, the country can phase out fossil fuels by 2030 while improving energy security and creating new economic opportunities. Supporting the Fossil Fuel NonProliferation Treaty Initiative would demonstrate international leadership and help accelerate the global transition toward clean energy.

  1. Government Official to Receive Proposal

Name: Sara Aagesen
Title: Minister for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge
Organization: Government of Spain
Email: gabinete.ministra@miteco.es

This Post was submitted by Climate Scorecard Spain Country Manager, Juanjo Santos.

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