Foro Euromediterráneo de la Energía
A continuación, las conclusiones de los participantes en el grupo de trabajo sobre energías renovables (en inglés: en el foro participaron expertos de todo Europa y el Norte de África, y en la apertura vimos al Ministro Clos entre otras autoridades):
Renewable energy is an essential element in the planning of future energy requirements of any systems.
Renewable energy sources contribute to reduce energy dependance and have positive side effects related to its supply, as they promote local employment and generate wealth in the areas where they are implemented.
Mediterranean countries have to increase the contribution of renewable resources in energy supply.
In order to reach this objective, the following conditions need to be met:
1. A suitable regulatory environment
· Stable and predictable regulatory frames within a long-term horizon, where a sufficient retribution is ensured in order to incentivate inversions, thus enabling the financing of projects.
· Easy, quick and homogeneous administrative authorization processes.
· One of the possible future solutions in some of the Mediterranean countries not included in the Annex 1 of the Kyoto Protocol, is taking profit of the Mechanisms of Clean Development. It is necessary to find the appropriate development and co-operation environment, since the present situation is not very favourable.
· Yet, this should not be the only way of developing renewable energy in such countries. Complementary mechanisms should also be started.
· Giving the long life of energy assets, and the suitable regulatory environment, it is essential to have legal security and an institutional framework transmitting confidence to investors.
2. Promotion of technological development
· Technological progress in renewable energy sources is necessary to reduce their cost, improve their performance, and thus increase their competitiveness. Besides, in a near future, they’ll have to compete with the technological development of other non renewable energy sources.
· One of the challenges is increasing their contribution along with the security of their supply; for example, in the case of wind energy, through the development of advanced wind prediction systems, in order to make its contribution to energy systems more easily and safely predictable.
· The optimization of energy storage systems constitutes another of the goals that needs to be pursued, so as to take the maximum possible profit of the contribution of the renewable energy sources during the highest peeks of the demand.
· It is essential to research these kinds of technology, by steering R+D towards the most effective ones. Financial resourses for applied research exist, if the regulatory environment encourages it.
· As far as biofuels are concerned, it is indispensable to improve the management of their logistics and increase energy crops in all the Mediterranean area. In order to achieve this goal, we definitely need to increase the R+D financing to these fuels.
3. Co-operation and sustainability
· Need for encouraging Euromediterranean co-operation in this field by transferring and sharing technology and the best regulatory practices.
· Flexible financing methods enabling to run common projects in the Mediterranean countries, and dedication of specific funds to achieve progress in these energy sources.
· Need for winning the social rejection towards the construction of infraestructure – both facilities where energy is produced, and networks integrating production in energy systems.
· Awareness programs and education campaigns aimed at making our society aware of the value of energy and renewable sources.
· Finally, we need to develop this kind of technology with the minimum impact on natural environments.
The STERN report presented on October, 30 ended up by stating that “it is cheaper and more effective to brake the climatic change that to face its consequences”. Renewable energy sources are called to play a very significant role in the future of energy.
