Public-private involvement is the key to a sustainable model
Calvó attaches importance to the private sector in order to double energy production by 2030
Sant Julià de Lòria hosted yesterday, and also today, the Conference on Energy and Sustainable Cities, an event that yesterday focused on the debate and today on raising awareness, especially of families, with different activities. Business opportunities that may arise from the energy transition or the need for collaboration and involvement of administrations, but also of individuals and companies are some of the issues that have been put on the table.
Thus, the Minister of Environment, Agriculture and Sustainability, Sílvia Calvó, stated that “the energy transition must contribute to economic recovery in two aspects, on the one hand, creating economic activity and on the other in energy production”. In this sense, she said that a good example of the first aspect is the Renova plan, where despite the health crisis that is being experienced, the applications increased and «makes a whole palette of businesses work». With regard to energy production, she recalled that by 2030, national energy production must be doubled and that the private sector has a very important role to play here. The minister emphasized the commitment to renewable energies, as the law states that 70% of national production must be clean energy and recalled that the declaration of a climate emergency even goes «beyond» and speaks 80%.
The director general of FEDA, Albert Moles, also referred to this role of private individuals, who wanted to highlight that in the country there are already «91 photovoltaic installations connected to the electricity network of FEDA or distributors». These are installations of different sizes, some of which resell the energy at a guaranteed price or use it for self-consumption. Moles stressed that this figure is «a success» given that four years ago it was «virtually zero» and added that similar growth is expected in the coming years, so that within two to four years it could reach a thousand «if we keep that speed.» Currently the production of these 91 facilities represents between 0.3% -0.5% of the country’s energy «may seem small, but we are talking about a hundred facilities,» said Moles, who added that «everything adds up.» He also argued that it is a type of energy that can still be harnessed, as everyone can do it.
He also stated that conferences such as those held in Sant Julià de Lòria show the need to change the
Sílvia Calvó MINISTER OF THE ENVIRONMENT «The energy transition must create economic activity, as well as encourage energy production»
energy model and said that while someone must lead it, a role that FEDA has assumed, it is important that everyone is aware that must be involved. In this sense, the general director of FEDA mentioned the projects in which the company works, such as cogeneration, heat networks or the Grau Roig photovoltaic park. In this sense, he stated that heat networks are a «very good alternative to heating and, above all, electric heating to avoid overvestment loading the electricity grid» and also to take advantage of renewable energy. Thus, he recalled that FEDA has the Soldeu and Andorra la Vella projects and that work is now underway to deploy the Escaldes-Engordany network. The Pas de la Casa project, where biomass is to be used, is also being «just structured».
The Consul General of Sant Julià de Lòria, Josep Majoral, also referred to the need for collaboration between entities, detailing that the municipality has a series of projects for which it has the cooperation of FEDA, the Government and also of the electric companies. He recalled that the parish has a master plan and that according to this document it is intended to issue a tender for the concession of a space so that a private individual can «find a business opportunity» by exploiting photovoltaic energy. The line of what has been done with the roof of the cultural center would be followed and the chosen area could be that of Rocafort, next to the cemetery, or the parking area at an altitude of 1,600.
The municipality is also working to extend the biomass boiler, which already has it, to extend the heat network that «feeds the Cultural Center, the old municipality house and the Andorran school», would be a project that would require «little inOn
Albert Moles GENERAL DIRECTOR OF FEDA «There are a total of 91 photovoltaic installations in the electricity network of FEDA or distributors»
and profit would be very important.» It should be noted that for this project the communal corporation has the collaboration of the Government and FEDA.
Another project on which the municipality is working is an «innovative» one for the Molí building, although it is still in its infancy, the will of the municipality is to be «totally autonomous», and now the necessary work will be done to assess its viability.
the conference, the consul stressed the importance of the debate on issues such as sustainable mobility, energy transition and energy efficiency and also stressed today’s awareness day.
The conference was attended by the head of mobility at the RACC, Ricard Casalins, who stated that there are currently several trends in sustainable mobility such as electric, shared, micromobility and transport on demand. He also emphasized that none of them «are a solution in themselves, but they help to make mobility more sustainable». On this subject, he believes that in Andorra all of them are feasible. Thus, for example, to move around Andorra la Vella sees it feasible to bike, scooter or walk, and in terms of electric mobility, he believes that having a good network of chargers would encourage visitors to come from outside. they did with electric mobility. Casalins also defended the sustainability of the electric vehicle, which is sometimes questioned and stated that if its life cycle is taken into account compared to others, it is «more sustainable» and will be even more so as they are strengthened renewable energies, as in the case of Andorra, where last year they were 53% of the electricity mix.
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