POWER June 2011 - 31

POWER POLICY
generated nearly 99% of the nation's electricity,
in 2010, those four sources accounted for
69%. Gas-fired generation has grown exponentially
in response to increasing amounts
of variable wind power that require back-up
generation and to meet swelling demand (a
report by Spanish law firm Gomez-Acebo &
Pombo notes that " Spain has one of the highest
rates of energy consumption per unit of
[gross national product] in the EU " ). Wind
power, meanwhile, surged from 5 TWh in
2000 to 42 TWh in 2010 (Figure 1).
" Without doubt, the main factor underpinning
our success in integrating [renewable]
sources into the electricity generation system
has been the economic and legal framework
comprising a system of regulated premiums
and feed-in tariffs, which has been in force
for the last 30 years and has been subject to
ongoing improvements and modifications, "
says Miguel Sebastián Gascón, minister for
Industry, Tourism and Trade in a government
renewables-specific website. The minister
also says the country's solar thermal, wind,
and other sectors are among the largest in the
world, and that it is on course to exceed the
EU's 20% renewable target. He adds: " This
framework is stable but adaptable to the current
status of each technology as it matures. "
Industry Structure
Spain today splits its generating units into
two groups-ordinary and special regimes-
based on how they interact with the competitive
electricity market. Five companies
generate the bulk of conventional power,
which includes large hydro, nuclear, coal, and
gas: Iberdrola, Endesa, Gas Natural Fenosa,
E.ON, and HidroCantábrico. All generators
under the ordinary regime sell power to
suppliers through the wholesale market pool
or bilateral contracting and receive remuneration
for power sold on the market, plus
capacity payments (including 10-year investment
payments that vary according to the net
power of the plant).
Special regime generators-those that produce
power from renewables with installed
capacities of up to 50 MW and cogeneration facilities-are
not required to bid in the power pool
and are permitted to sell power at governmentordained
tariffs or at the Spanish pool price, plus
premiums and incentives. In 2010, according to
grid operator Red Eléctrica de España (REE),
special regime generators produced 33% of the
country's peninsular power.
Growing Demand and Capacity
Peninsular Spain's electricity demand
2. Pumping up wind. Spanish renewables
giant Iberdrola's 1989-built 635-MW
La Muela pumped storage facility will be followed
by the 852-MW La Muela 2, slated to
be operational in 2012. The ability to dispatch
pumped storage power helps to mitigate the
variability of wind power. Courtesy: Iberdrola
(excluding its islands) currently exceeds
259,940 GWh, having risen 30% since 2000.
The increase would have been more dramatic
were it not for the economic slowdown, when
demand plunged 5%, from 265,281 GWh in
2008. In 2007, industry consumed 38% of
Spain's generated power, followed by the
services and agricultural sectors. Households
consumed 33% of all power generated.
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POWER June 2011

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