The Association of Renewable Energy Companies(APPA) presents the data of the macroeconomic impact of Renewable Energies in Spain for the past 2021.

In 2021, renewable energies in Spain grew by more than 50%, accounting for around 1.58% of GDP. In this way, renewables saved 10,327 million euros in avoided fossil imports, 3,090 million in emission rights and obtained a net export balance of 1,887 million. These were some of the data revealed by Mr. José María González Moya, general director of APPA, during the presentation of the advance of the Study of the Macroeconomic Impact of Renewable Energies in Spain 2021. He was accompanied by the president of the association, Mr. Santiago Gómez Ramos, with telematic connection, and the director of Enerclub, Mr. Arcadio Gutiérrez.

The spectacular growth of renewable energies in 2021 involved employing more than 110,000 workers. However, this strong growth “should be interpreted with caution, given that part of the growth was structural, such as the 20% increase in jobs – led by photovoltaic and, specifically, self-consumption facilities -, and another part of the growth was cyclical, given that the figures corresponding to GDP, savings in imports, emissions and, especially, in the electricity market, have their explanation in the inflation experienced by the energy sector in 2021”, they explained in the presentation.

The significant increase in electricity and oil prices has led to the growth of renewable energies which, according to the data provided in the presentation, has led to record savings in Spain: only the fossil imports avoided (25,481,743 tons of oil equivalent) would have amounted to 10,327 million euros, to which 3,090 million euros in emission rights should be added.

In the electricity sector, renewable energies received a specific remuneration of 5,042 million euros, and in return, their presence in the electricity market displaced offers of more expensive technologies, thus allowing savings in the electricity market of 10,478 million euros. Specifically, average savings in the daily market were €43.20/MWh. Renewable energies maintained their net export balance, which was 1,887 million euros. The slight reduction compared to the previous year was not due to lower exports, but to an increase in exports, due to the greater installer nature (both grid connection and self-consumption), during 2021. In 2021, 5,649 MW of renewables were installed, of which 4,498 MW were projects intended to sell electricity to the grid and 1,151 MW corresponded to self-consumption.

The great development of self-consumption is also largely responsible for the growth in the number of jobs. In 2021, the sector registered a total of 111,409 jobs, highlighting the 59% increase in jobs in photovoltaic technology. In addition to photovoltaic technology, wind, solar thermal and marine were the technologies that created jobs on a net basis.

Source: FuturEnergy