Energy security in Andalusia: The role of renewable energy sources

Abstract

Energy supply security and environmental issues have been among the major concerns for most governments. Recently, thanks to technological breakthroughs, utilization of renewable energy (RE) sources is frequently suggested as a solution for declining energy dependency of countries and tackling environmental concerns. Andalusia is one of the fast-growing autonomous communities of Spain in terms of economic, industry, and population. While Andalusia has a high dependency on energy imports, it is the wealthiest autonomous community of Spain from the perspective of RE resources. This research tries to evaluate Andalusia’s RE potential and its impact on the security of energy supply. First, the current energy system of Andalusia is discussed, and the feasibility of RE sources is investigated. Finally, the total level of Andalusia’s energy security is calculated and compared with other countries. The results reveal that solar, on/off-shore wind, and bio-energy (algae production) are the most promising RE sources. Therefore, to elevate Andalusia’s energy system robustness, it is highly recommended to invest in noted RE resources.