Electrification with renewables centers Spain’s stance against reliance on fossil fuels that drive up energy bills: the global target of 35% by 2035 requires clean generation and real emissions reductions.
Electricity yes, but from renewable energy sources
The electrification with renewables must be accompanied by abandoning coal, oil, and gas. That is the position Spain is defending at the COP31, as explained by the national delegation: increasing electricity consumption requires a parallel transformation of generation.
The international proposal seeks that by 2035 electricity accounts for the 35% of global final energy consumption. But negotiations have not yet determined what mandatory percentage should be produced from renewable sources.
The difference is decisive. Replacing equipment without reducing fossil fuel combustion can limit climate benefits. The ambition requires coherent investments and verifiable results to prevent the announcement from turning into eco-posturing.
The electrification with renewables needs clear figures and clean generation
Spain has a solid basis to defend this transformation. Red Eléctrica places the renewable share of national generation in 2025 at 55.5%, which reaches 56.6% when including the self-consumption estimate.
That percentage refers to electricity generated, not to all the energy consumed by the economy. Confusing both indicators would make the progress of electrification with renewables seem larger than it is and would obscure the work that remains in transport, buildings, and industry.
The electrical progress deserves a firmer recognition and should extend to more activities, with more grids, greater storage, and affordable access. It would be absurd to waste the capabilities of renewables while households and businesses remain exposed to the extra cost of imported fuels.
Turkey faces the contradiction between deploying renewables and seeking more gas
The Turkish presidency is pushing electrification and, at the same time, promoting the exploration and exploitation of natural gas in the Black Sea. Its aim to reduce imports does not eliminate the climate consequences involved in continuing to burn fossil fuels.
This tension is very evident at the COP31 in Antalya: energy security and decarbonization must advance together. Changing the origin of hydrocarbons can modify trade dependencies, but it does not amount to substituting them with clean energy.
Electrification with renewables offers a different perspective. The practical example lies in replacing gas consumption with efficient electric devices progressively powered by low-emission generation. The assessment should consider the entire system, beyond the installed appliance.
Less oil dependence: an opportunity that requires execution
The Spanish delegation puts the savings associated with solar and wind expansion over the last five years at €14 billion. The European Environment Agency records that estimate for avoided purchases of fuels destined for electricity generation.
Spain also backs the Brazilian roadmap for designing national fossil-fuel exit strategies. Exporting countries face revenue and employment challenges different from those of importers. Recognizing those differences requires financing and cooperation; it does not justify blocking the transformation indefinitely.
The electrification with renewables must translate into implemented projects, reduced emissions and protected consumers. Maintaining abstract commitments while energy vulnerability persists would prolong an unsustainable inconsistency.
Imports remain too heavy for Spain’s mix
The IEA notes that imports still covered almost 70% of total Spanish energy consumption in 2024, while transport emissions rose nearly 8% between 2015 and 2024.
That contrast dispels any hint of complacency: electric success coexists with deep dependencies. Accelerating the electrification with renewables requires addressing that pending front; ignoring it would leave much of the economic and climate fragility intact.
