Sánchez: "In Spain, almost four out of every ten euros of European funds are committed to the ecological transition of the economy"

Madrid International Fair Center, Madrid

The inauguration of this website of the International Renewable Energies Conference, Spirec 23, was attended by the Third Vice-President and Minister for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, Teresa Ribera; the European Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson; the Dutch Minister of Energy, Rob Jetten; the Romanian Minister of Energy, Virgil Daniel Popescu; and the President of REN21, Arthouros Zervos.

Family photo of the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, at the opening ceremony of the International Renewable Energies Conference (SPIREC 23). | Pool Moncloa/Fernando Calvo

Spain, at the forefront of the renewables sector

Spain currently ranks eighth in the world in terms of installed capacity, and second in the EU. Our country has also broken records for new photovoltaic installations, doubling the figures for self-consumption. The President of the Government has highlighted these data, and pointing out that in 2022 renewable energies will represent 42% of the energy generated in our country. He also pointed out that "we are also the world's third largest exporter of wind turbines".

Measures such as the Iberian solution, the success of which we are trying to export to other countries, have allowed Spain to reduce consumers' bills by around 15%, which has meant a saving of more than €5 billion. "To meet this challenge, Spain is making progress in three strategic areas: renewable hydrogen, the offshore wind energy sector, the Storage Strategy and the transformation of the automotive industry".

In the field of renewable hydrogen, Spain has €8.9 billion of public and private investment from our Hydrogen Roadmap, not forgetting the €6.9 billion from the Strategic Project for Renewable Energies, Renewable Hydrogen and Storage. "Almost four out of every ten euros of European funds are committed to the ecological transition of the economy", Pedro Sánchez stressed. The president also addressed crucial infrastructures, such as the future European hydrogen corridor H2Med, which Spain has promoted together with Portugal, France and Germany, and which will cover 10% of the EU's hydrogen demand by 2030. "Thanks to the commitment of this government, one fifth of global investment in green hydrogen is concentrated in Spain".

In addition, Spain accounts for 20% of the €5.2 billion in public support approved by the European Commission, with seven of the 35 projects selected.

With regard to offshore wind energy, the President of the Government stressed that Spain is now seeking to become an international benchmark in the sector, with a roadmap for the development of offshore wind and marine energy.

Pedro Sánchez also addressed the Storage Strategy, "essential to guarantee a quality supply, and the transformation of the automobile industry", highlighting that the Connected Electric Vehicle Strategic Project is already producing results through ten investment projects.

The President of the Government highlighted the importance of positioning people at the centre of the energy transition, recalling that this new era of change brings with it novel opportunities for training and decent employment, as well as a commitment to sustainable growth to rebalance the territory. "The term Energy Transition is inextricably linked to a third word," he said. "And that word is 'fair'".

Renewable energies, a source of quality jobs

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, accompanied by the Third Vice-President and Minister for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Teresa Ribera, at the opening ceremony of the Conference (SPIREC 23) | Pool Moncloa/Fernando Calvo

In 2021, the renewable sector recorded 111,409 direct and indirect jobs. As the President of the Government has underlined, the fulfilment of the energy and climate commitments announced would entail, on the basis of the forecasts of the International Energy Agency, a significant increase in the creation of industrial jobs worldwide in the energy transition sector. They would grow from six million jobs today to almost 14 million in 2030.

In total employment figures, moving towards climate neutrality would generate 33 to 70 million jobs in the decade 2021-2030, offsetting job losses in fossil fuel sectors.

Specifically, in our country, the renewables sector could create 468,000 jobs over the next decade. "This government is taking advantage of every opportunity offered by the ecological transition to generate more and better jobs", reiterated Pedro Sánchez, announcing that in addition to the 20,000 vocational training places linked to renewable energies that have already been created, 4,000 more places will be created this year.

The energy transition, a priority of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU

The President of the Government underlined that one of the priorities of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU is the energy transition and, in this regard, he stressed that listening to those who encourage postponing this issue until the current emergency has been overcome "would be a great mistake".

Pedro Sánchez highlighted some of the steps that Spain has taken in this area, which today place us at the forefront of the energy transition in various areas. First, we have made progress in reducing vulnerability. And second, we have taken advantage of this transformation to re-industrialise our territory, which has had a positive impact on the competitiveness of our companies.

President Sánchez highlighted the fact that Spanish companies are already top-level benchmarks in the field of ecological transition, stressing that Spain has solid foundations for this to be the case. "The Spanish economy is showing strength and resilience in an environment of uncertainty," he said. "The European Commission has revised upwards the growth forecasts for 2023 and we will close 2022 with the lowest level of unemployment in 14 years, with an unprecedented reduction in temporary employment", he underlined. Pedro Sánchez has highlighted the relevance that the approval of reforms such as the Climate Change and Energy Transition Law, the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan and the Long-Term Decarbonisation Strategy, have had on achieving these figures.

Non official translation