Renovation of facilities in the cogeneration sector is not a matter of aesthetics. As of January 1, 2016, plants over 50 MWt must reduce NOx emissions more than 10 times to keep running. Cogen Spain has submitted a Plan Renove proposal to the Ministry of Industry that should be adopted soon if they are not willing that the Spanish industry collapses.
“The industrial sector has been neglected and abused by politicians, when it makes sense to support it equitably” said in his brief speech Carlos López Jimeno, Director General of Industry, Energy and Mines of the Community of Madrid. And he summed up by saying that “supporting cogeneration is to support the competitiveness of the Spanish industry.”
In an energy scenario in which wind energy, photovoltaics and biomass will take the higher positions in installation prospects for the next five years, cogeneration will be the technology with the least growth in the Special Regime. Also, noteworthy is that since 2012 plants have been shutting down up to reach a figure of 37% in 2014.
Goals
For cogeneration to be able to contribute to meeting the targets set in the 2015-2020 Energy Planning, Cogen Spain considers that the development of a Plan Renove on cogeneration– allowing for modernization of the existing installed base so that it complies with the new environmental regulations from 2016- is necessary. This would be done by culminating the pending and announced legislation, and based on a proposal.
Principles of the proposal
-Does not entail an increase of power in the system, but the commissioning of cogeneration plants that are shut down at this time.
-Designed for plants with over 15 years of age or commissioned prior to 2004 that need to comply with environmental regulations.
– Extend the life of the installation 10 additional years while maintaining the criteria of RD 413/2014
Benefits of Plan Renove
The cogeneration industry wants to show the benefits of a Renove plan in the image and likeness of the automotive industry with the PIVE plan. In this case, the cogeneration sector announces that while the cost of the Plan Renove in the first phase is 52 M € for 600 MW, these would bring benefits worth 97 M € to the system, in addition to indirect and induced benefits that are generated, such as 1 , 4 million jobs in associated industries, and 40% of industrial GDP.
For Julio Artiñano, president of Cogen Spain, “It is necessary to implement the cogeneration installed base that is not currently operating, to reach at least the same share in the energy mix as in year 2012 prior to the reform, both to meet the objectives of the energy planning and to meet the demand, as well as in order to meet EU commitments on energy efficiency and emissions reduction. “
