Raw Materials and Energy Sources in Spain
Raw Materials
Raw materials can be classified by their origin:
- Organic: Sourced from farming, forestry, or livestock.
- Minerals: Extracted from deposits. These are further divided into:
- Metallic minerals: Used in basic industry.
- Non-metallic minerals: Used in the construction and chemical industries.
- Industrial rock: Used in construction.
Insufficient domestic production necessitates reliance on foreign trade. Spanish mining policy, aligned with EU targets, aims to increase competitiveness, improve the environment and mining habitats, and promote research and technological development.
Energy Sources in Spain
Spain faces an imbalance and energy dependence. Increased energy consumption is primarily met by nuclear energy and coal.
Primary Energy Sources
Coal
Coal is a stratified rock with a black color, formed by the decomposition of plant debris over millions of years. Its calorific value depends on the age of the deposit. It was instrumental in the First Industrial Revolution, but production has declined due to:
- Exhaustion of some rich deposits.
- Lower quality of some remaining deposits.
- Difficulties in extraction due to minifundismo (small landholdings).
- Decreased demand.
- EU price liberalization.
Production is located in 13 major river basins, and its main use is electricity generation in power stations.
Petroleum
Petroleum is a very dark mineral oil composed of a mixture of hydrocarbons. Spain is a major consumer of petroleum, but domestic production is limited. A variety of petroleum products and their applications are numerous, particularly for transport and industry. Refineries are located on the mainland coast or islands.
Natural Gas
Natural gas is a mixture of hydrocarbon gases, predominantly methane. Production is located in the Basque Country and has experienced very sharp growth. Products obtained from natural gas include propane, butane, and naphtha, which have diverse applications in industrial use, electricity generation, and domestic use.
Nuclear Energy
Nuclear energy is obtained by fission. Its growth in Spain was linked to the need to reduce dependence on oil after the 1975 crisis. Nuclear energy production caters to 100% of national needs. Its primary application is electricity production, although it has other uses, such as in nuclear medicine. The main problems are external dependency on uranium enrichment and technology, and the risk of a catastrophe.
Hydroelectric Energy
Hydroelectric energy is obtained from water stored in dams or lakes. The water drives turbines that convert mechanical force into electricity. It is a renewable energy source. Production is located in the northern half of the peninsula due to topographical and hydrological features. It covers 100% of national needs, and its application is electricity production. Advantages include being renewable, clean, and instantaneous. Problems include droughts, conflicts with other water uses (such as agriculture and domestic consumption), and the risk associated with dam infrastructure.
New Renewable Energy Sources
Benefits of new renewable energy sources include being inexhaustible, clean, and widely dispersed. Spain’s production is still limited, as sufficiently advanced technology has not yet been developed compared to traditional energy sources. Their application will provide thermal, electrical, or mechanical energy. Different types of renewable energy sources include:
- Small-scale hydro: Low power in small flows.
- Wind energy.
- Biomass: Obtained from agricultural, livestock, and forestry biological waste through direct combustion.
- Solar energy.
- Geothermal energy: Using underground steam or hot water.
Electricity Production
Primary energy sources must be transformed into usable energy, such as electricity. In Spain, over half of the production is obtained in conventional thermal power plants (coal, natural gas, and oil), with the rest from nuclear and hydroelectric sources.
Energy Policy
Energy policy started late compared to other countries. The initial National Energy Plan (PEN) aimed to reduce oil dependency by developing nuclear programs, which were later frozen. Emphasis was then placed on coal and gas. Additionally, the Renewable Energy Plan was launched. The current energy policy, aligned with the EU, focuses on:
- Ensuring a secure supply.
- Encouraging energy conservation and renewable energy sources.
- Completing the internal energy market.
- Avoiding negative environmental impacts.
The new PEN prioritizes renewable energy sources, slightly uses oil, maintains nuclear production, and reduces coal. The Plan to Promote Renewable Energy (1999-2006) aimed to achieve a goal set by the EU.