In the quest for a sustainable and environmentally friendly future, the European Union (EU) has set an ambitious target: to increase its renewable energy consumption from 22% today to 42.5% by 2030. This agreement is of vital importance as it not only promotes the transition to renewable energy sources, but also boosts economic development and job creation in the energy sector, although the agreement has yet to be confirmed by both the European Parliament and the EU Council.
The transition to renewable energy is a goal shared by all energy companies, as well as by governments and citizens committed to protecting the environment. These energies, such as solar and biogas, among others, are abundant and sustainable sources. By increasing their share in the energy mix, we will reduce our carbon footprint.
However, it is important to recognise that the path to a fully renewable future cannot neglect backup and transition energies. An example of this is the role of natural gas. Its use can be more efficient and acts as a reliable and flexible backup source for intermittent renewable energy sources such as solar and wind.
Backup energies, such as natural gas, are essential to ensure a constant and stable energy supply. It is common knowledge that in times of low renewable production, due to weather or seasonal variability, these backup sources come into play to cover energy demand and avoid supply disruptions. This is why we see in the headlines that, despite the boost to renewables, natural gas imports have continued to grow. The availability of natural gas is undoubtedly particularly relevant in the transition process, where we are still building a solid and mature infrastructure to fully exploit the potential of renewables.
On the other hand, we must consider the benefits of taking advantage of internal resources, in this case those of the Spanish subsoil, from which we extract natural gas, in terms of energy security, infrastructure development and sustainable economic growth and, very importantly, the generation of local employment.
Solutions such as the hybridisation of sources (natural gas-photovoltaic) can help to accelerate the transition and provide incentives for it. The integration of these two energy sources can also ensure the constancy of the grid feed-in.
In short, natural gas obtained from Spain’s own subsoil must be seen as a reliable ally, which will support the effort to move ever closer to a 100% renewable energy matrix, both in our country and in Europe.
