Energy Study of La Ribera County

Between the aims of the study it is necessary to emphasize the creation of a energetic data base to include in the Energetic Observatory of La Ribera, project whose purpose is the inventory of the potential available resources of energy in the zone. In addition, specific activities are proposed to the AER based on the lacks and energetic detected priorities as well as recommendations and orientations to foment the saving, the energetic diversification, the utilization of the endogenous resources and the use of renewable energies.

Energy Consumption structure in la Ribera

In what concerns the consumption of primary energy in the regions of La Ribera Alta and La Ribera Baixa, the study concludes that the oil products are, with 50 % of the whole, the principal component of the energetic consumption, being the sector of the transport the main guilty of this dependence. Equally, it is important the high penetration that has had the natural gas in the last 5 years, owed fundamentally to the extension of the networks of gas pipelines. As for as the generation of electric power in the region, only it represents a small percentage with regard to the final consumption, being produced from minihydraulic plants of small environmental impact and in plants of cogeneration of high efficiency.
For economic sectors, the energetic demand is dominated by the industrial sector and, in minor measure, by transport. The sector services presents a high growing rhythm, dominating the consumption of electricity.

Renewable energies implantation

The study shows that, though the potential of renewable resources of the region is very high, the introduction rhythm of this type of facilities is quite slow. Concretely, the consumption of primary energy of renewable origin in the zone only represents 2 %, being produced in a mayor way by biomass (waste of pruning) for thermal purposes and minihydraulic energy. The renewable energy of solar origin, in its two ways, thermal and photovoltaic, has a merely nominal presence, though it shows a continues growth as consequence of the measures and campaigns of sensitization realized in the last years.
Nevertheless, the study emphasizes the high possibilities of utilization of the biomass in the region. Specifically, the biomass obtained from agricultural and forest waste, fundamentally straw of rice and pruning of citrus fruits, presents a potential in generation of electricity of 20 MW, sufficient for the supply of a population of 10.000 persons.

Conclusions

From the analysis of the previous information, the report proposes different measures to foment the diversification and the energetic saving. Among them there is the possibility of achieving significant energy savings without the need of large investments, for example through awareness campaigns and optimization of the energy use. At the same time, the development of the biomass as principal source of energy in the region is proposed, complementing it  with the contribution of the solar power due to the high available levels of radiation. Finally, to achieve that these recommendations produce positive results to short - half term would be essential a wide collaboration of the social agents.