Talking about “reservoirs” and “energy” is somewhat controversial in a Spain where the suspicion (sometimes unfounded, sometimes not) that electricity companies are not correctly managing water resources is the order of the day. What happens is that, in the medium-long term, we have no other choice.
A key tool. Of the four countries that have almost 100% of its energy based on renewables, three of them (Uruguay, Costa Rica and Norway) have it thanks to the enormous weight of hydroelectric energy in their mix. The other is Iceland, which also has a lot of hydroelectric power, but since the 80s it has had the invaluable help of geothermal energy that takes advantage of the enormous volcanic activity of the island.
This is relevant because, as the European Union races towards zero emissions and as much as solar energy improves with each passing day, having a clear idea of what works and what doesn't is going to be key.
Our problem is different. Our problem is that there is no water. The March rains they have hidden a dramatic situation in the reservoirs at the beginning of the year, with regions such as Catalonia in critical condition. With such specific and structural crises, how are we going to even consider the idea of 'depending' on hydroelectric power at an energy level?
Rethinking reservoirs. For decades, the reservoir has been understood simply as a “generator” of energy. Not because there are no alternatives (in fact, the idea of thinking of them as “a huge battery” is quite trivial), but because betting on the pumping that allows this energy storage entails a profound change. Too deep for the political reality of the country.
What is this pumping thing? But before landing on the impact of this in the Spanish case, let's give some context. A pumped hydroelectric plant is basically a facility that has two reservoirs (and the ability to move water from one to the other). The idea is very simple, during the hours of lower energy demand, water is transferred from the lower reservoir to the upper one; During the hours of greatest energy demand, water is allowed to pass through the turbines and energy is produced.
There are several ways to do this: creating a higher reservoir in the vicinity of an existing one, linking nearby reservoirs or converting existing plants into reversible mills. However, the limitations are enormous.
Pros and cons. While the Spanish Energy Storage Association (Asealen) asks to the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge to begin to consider pumping infrastructures as stores of hydroelectric energy (and create regulations to facilitate them), experts fear that the incentives created with these infrastructures will end up weakening the already precarious ecological balance of the Spanish basins.
After all, if for months the management of reservoirs has been involved in recurring controversies, no one is clear that increasing our dependence on these technologies is a good idea.
On an environmental level, of course. Because on an energetic level, there is no doubt. In 2020, in fact, Spain was already the fourth country in Europe in this field. However, the process has since slowed down. And not for lack of possibilities. As explains Laura Ojeahe 'Analysis of Spain's electrical storage needs in the 2030 horizon'from the Technological Research Institute of the Universidad Pontificia Comillas, estimates that up to 12 GW of energy could be stored with relative ease in the coming years.
Rather, the problem is the certain regulatory chaos which entails the fact that “that, by 2030 “Almost half of the concessions of the 800 hydroelectric facilities that exist in the country will expire” and many of them will not be able to be extended. Without a clear framework, plans and investments end up coming to nothing.
Rethink everything. In this sense, now that it is time to rethink the country's entire water system, it is a good time to think about whether the time has come to follow the international trend and embark on long-term infrastructure of this type or, instead, if we have to explore other paths. . What is clear is that there is no point in staying still.
In Xataka | Our reservoirs have a serious structural problem. And experts have been warning us for years.
Image | Rishi Saxena
*An earlier version of this article was published in May 2023
