A plan by the Spanish Balearic Islands to end use of coal power and switch to 100% renewable energy sources was last week made into law. The move has has inspired 26 other islands across the EU launch a new clean energy strategy.
The plan was first announced last year, and the four islands, Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera will now focus on achieving 100% clean energy by the middle of the century. The plan also sets the deadline of 2025 to phase out diesel cars and close the coal power plant on the island of Mallorca. Petrol cars will by phased out by 2035 and the islands' car rental businesses will go all-electric.
Endesa, the coal plant's Italian owner, has agreed to retain all jobs and the unions have no issue with the agreement.
Solar energy in Ibiza
A hybrid solar installation at a luxury resort in Ibiza. Image: ENDEF
However, ANFAC, the Spanish car association, has complained about the “discriminatory and regressive” law, saying that specific technologies are not being banned anywhere else.
“It undermines the freedom of movement of people, goods and services, one of the pillars of the EU. Car manufacturers are committed to the decarbonisation of the fleet, but this measure is disproportionate,” an ANFAC source said.
President of the Balearic Islands, Francina Armengol, said the new law will protect the islands' residents as well as the environment.
“With our law, we will become more productive and competitive, and strengthen our international image. And most importantly, with this law, we gain in quality of life and seal a guaranteed future for our Islands,” she said.
The move is an unparalleled one for the islands and was partly a reaction to the inability of the central Spanish government to pass any legislation on the issue. The situation is not expected to change, despite the calling of snap elections last week by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
The new law came into force on Monday 18 February 2019 as a new clean energy strategy was launched by 26 other islands across the EU. The islands are part of Croatia, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK.
Clean Energy for EU Islands is a programme intended to help islands take advantage of the natural renewable resources at their disposal and was created to reflect the unique set of opportunities and challenges that the islands' residents face.
“The 26 islands selected display a remarkable potential and enthusiasm for developing strong and lasting multi-stakeholder collaborations around the clean energy transition,” said Dominique Ristori, director-general for energy at the European Commission.
“By embarking on this path, not only will they become more energy self-reliant and prosperous, but also provide inspiring examples for other islands and Europe as a whole.”
The transition to 100% renewables and energy self-sufficiency will likely bring more jobs to the islands, as well as decreasing imported fossil fuel dependency.
A secretariat is now in place to aid in the facilitation of the transition and provide practical resources to the local communities involved. Six of the islands will publish their agendas by summer 2019, while the remaining 20 will begin next year.
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