STORAGE NEEDED

NEW targets for renewable energy being set by Spain are likely to be missed, unless supporting infrastructure is rapidly built.

By Alex Trelinski

Satellite photos have shown the mass in the Mar Menor has been present for around two months.

The IEO-CSIC report says that the concentrations of phytoplanktons are lower than previous measurements especially in past instances when some of the water appeared to be murky or ‘green soup’ in colour.

This is thought to have led to several mass die-offs of sea creatures and vegetation in the area over the past few years. The growth of these types of planktons is thought to be associated with fertilisers and slurry run-off from farmers bordering the lagoon. As the planktons proliferate in the nitrate-rich water, oxygen is removed and other life is suffocated.

At the moment the scientists are still trying to work out the cause of the white colouration, and are uncertain on the impact it will have on the environment.

This is the message from consultancy Afry after the government pledged to raise its targets for installed solar and wind capacity to 75 GW and 60 GW by 2030.

The current targets are 39 GW for solar and 50 GW for wind, with currently 20 GW and 30 GW, respectively installed.

There have been persistent calls for the Spanish government to do more to hit climate-related energy targets and for massive investment, with the raised figures welcomed by many in the renewable energy industry.

But Javier Revuelta of Afry claims the latest targets are ‘completely unrealistic’ unless energy storage solutions are found quickly.

If not, the price of renewable energy may plunge as installed capacity shoots up, leading to surpluses with no way of storing the extra energy during times of high output.

This in turn could affect the stability of the marketparticularly long term purchase agreements (PPAs) - making future investment less likely.

IN 2015 government leaders from around the world met in Paris and committed to enacting measures that would limit global warming to a maximum increase of 1.5C.

Surprise surprise, they have failed.

Last week researchers stated that this critical threshold will be passed BEFORE 2027. Breaking this limit proves that global warming is accelerating and not slowing down.

The 1.5C figure has become a symbol of global climate change negotiations.

We all know the consequences…longer heatwaves, more intense storms, wildfires, flooding and