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Solar electricity in a changing environment: The case of Spain

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  • Urbina, Antonio

Abstract

In Spain, solar electricity (photovoltaic and thermoelectric) has reached a stable annual capacity factor above 20% since 2009; while wind achieved 23% since more than 10 years ago. This is the demonstration of an ongoing transition towards a more sustainable energy mix, further corroborated by the reduction of the capacity factor of gas-fired technology, which has seen a decline to values lower than 10% after an initial promising rise; this is a very low value for a fossil-fuel technology. Additionally, hydro installed capacity, which has been stable for the past 20 years, have demonstrated that can be used as a back-up power source in combination with solar and wind electricity, and it is capable of producing energy peaks that may increase from a stable base of 2000GWh/month up to 6000GWh/month and therefore meet demand at some particular times when solar and wind are generating less electricity without the need of installing new additional capacity at national level.

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  • Urbina, Antonio, 2014. "Solar electricity in a changing environment: The case of Spain," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 264-269.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:68:y:2014:i:c:p:264-269
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2014.02.005
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Bianco, Vincenzo & Driha, Oana M. & Sevilla-Jiménez, Martín, 2019. "Effects of renewables deployment in the Spanish electricity generation sector," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 72-81.
    2. Li, Xuping & Paster, Mark & Stubbins, James, 2015. "The dynamics of electricity grid operation with increasing renewables and the path toward maximum renewable deployment," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 1007-1015.
    3. López Cascales, J.J. & Juan-Segovia, M.C. & Ibáñez Molina, J. & Sánchez Vera, J. & Vivo Vivo, P.M., 2015. "Environmental impact associated with the substitution of internal combustion vehicles by fuel cell vehicles refueled with hydrogen generated by electrolysis using the power grid. An estimation focused," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 79-85.
    4. Ribó-Pérez, David & Van der Weijde, Adriaan H. & Álvarez-Bel, Carlos, 2019. "Effects of self-generation in imperfectly competitive electricity markets: The case of Spain," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    5. Lomas, J.C. & Muñoz-Cerón, E. & Nofuentes, G. & de la Casa, J., 2018. "Sale of profitable but unaffordable PV plants in Spain: Analysis of a real case," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 279-294.

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