Just this morning, while the Spanish Minister for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Sara Aagesen, shared her ambitious vision to reach 81% renewable generation by 2030, the power and generation report by Opina 360 for the Renewable Energy Observatory of Foro Sella brought us back to the present reality: we are closing 2024 with 56.8% renewable generation.

The timing of both announcements couldn’t be more revealing. We have five years ahead to increase our renewable generation by almost 25 percentage points. It’s a feasible but demanding horizon. The current growth rate, although remarkable, will need to accelerate significantly.

The report marks the real starting point from which we must measure our progress. It’s no coincidence that it arrives just as the national targets reflected in the PNIEC are reiterated, reminding us of the gap between aspirations and achievements.

Time is pressing. The intermittency inherent in renewable sources requires strengthening our energy storage capabilities and improving electrical distribution networks. We need extraordinary development in both areas if we want the transition to be feasible within the established timeline. It’s not enough to capture the energy from the sun and wind; we must store it for when clouds cover the sky or the wind stops blowing.

Spain has demonstrated its ability to move forward at a good pace, but we must be aware that the second half of the journey will be more complex than the first. The security of supply, a critical issue for the energy management of industry, cannot be the sacrificial victim at the altar of decarbonization. 24/7 supply allows no shortcuts or improvisations, especially when every additional percentage point of renewables increases the challenge of managing its variability. Spain must find that balance where green ambition does not compromise the energy security of homes and industries 24 hours a day.

The countdown has begun. 2030 seemed far away, but the quarterly reports from the Renewable Energy Observatory of Foro Sella will relentlessly remind us whether we are advancing at the necessary pace or if our ambitions exceed our execution capacity.

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