Before an audience of more than a hundred people from the private sector and the Government, the AEE recently presented the findings of the Macroeconomic study of the impact of the wind energy sector in Spain produced by the consultancy firm Deloitte. According to the study, the effects of the international financial crisis have not been felt by the Spanish wind energy sector. Indeed, during 2008 wind energy continued to grow, making a significant direct contribution to Spain’s GDP of €2.3 billion or 0.24% of total GDP, compared to €1.9 billion in 2007.
According to the President of the AEE, Jose Donoso: "Other non-quantifiable benefits must be added to these data like improving the standard of life in rural areas or creating an image of Spain as a technological leader that help all our companies ". For Donoso, the data and facts that appear in the report, "are evidence that should guide the decisions of policy makers in the energy field, because we do not have to look just at the tariff deficit, but to see beyond and assess and evaluate, quantitatively and qualitatively all the benefits that come from generating electricity from the wind. "
Problems at start of 2010
The AEE also presented a balance (see image) reflecting the amount of premiums paid in 2008 of €1.1 billion and an assessment of the socio-economic returns that multiply by far what was spent on incentives.
The AEE´s President also took the opportunity to reflect on the current status of the sector after Royal Decree Law 6/2009 brought the sector to a standstill earlier in the year. He stated that, "although this is a normal year in terms of power installed, the problem will come in the first half of 2010," adding that "a new remuneration framework for projects that have been left out of the register [for the preliminary assignment of remuneration] and for future ones is urgent, very urgent".
Wind brings value
The Director General for Energy Policy and Mines of the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Antonio Hernández, congratulated the AEE on publishing this interesting study and encouraged other sectors to do the same. Hernández acknowledged the benefits of reducing energy dependence and promoting renewable energies, especially wind energy, which he stated "has also had the most orderly development" and concurred with the President of AEE on "the intangible value that is strengthening the technological image of Spain, a value we must not lose".
During the technical presentation of the study, the AEE's Technical Director, Alberto Ceña, presented the main figures on future development between 2012 and 2016 in an estimate based on two scenarios: one involving meeting the energy policy objectives set out in the Renewable Energy Plan (PER) and the Planning of Electricity and Gas Sectors 2008-2016 (i.e. 20,155 MW of installed power in 2010, forecasting that the growth in installed capacity will remain constant over the next decade), and the other, a more negative scenario envisaging the production of only 800 MW in 2009 and 1,600 MW from 2010 as a consequence of the financial crisis and the constraints created by Royal Decree Law 6/2009. In the first scenario, the wind energy sector will directly generate €2.7 billion of GDP in 2010; €3.2 billion in 2012 and €4.2 billion in 2016; while the second scenario involves lower amounts, with a GDP contribution of €2.0 billion, €2.5 billion and €3.3 billion in 2010, 2012 and 2016, respectively.
To download the AEE's study (in Spanish):
Macroeconomic study of the impact of the wind energy sector in Spain
