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This paper evaluates the net effect of renewable energy policy in Spain from 2002 to 2017 and calculates its cost-effectiveness in terms of CO 2 emission reductions in the production of electricity. Our conclusions indicate that although the phasing out of Feed-in Tariffs reduced the regulatory costs, it also limited renewable participation in the electricity market, leading to an increased electricity price and higher emissions. According to our results, the joint effect of (i) the value of avoided emissions due to renewable energy participation and (ii) the merit order effect was able to compensate for the regulatory costs (subsidies) up until 2010, while the sign of the net effect was reversed from 2011 to 2017. Finally, we find that the economic implications of emission reductions are highly dependent on how the social cost of carbon is measured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The most widespread support system for renewable-energy-sourced electricity (RES-E) is the feed-in tariff (FIT). FITs can be divided into fixed-FIT and premium systems. The latter type may also include a cap and floor option, turning it into a variable premium system. The cap value (upper limit) aims to avoid windfall profits for the RES-E investor if the electricity price rises quickly, while the floor value (lower limit) ensures minimum revenue, reducing the risk caused by low electricity prices. This paper examines the performance of the variable premium system as established in Spain (hourly-based) and investigates the possibility of alternative novel designs. For this purpose, an analysis was undertaken of the cap & floor system established in Spain based on real market data over a three year period and its performance compared to the fixed premium system (no cap & floor limitations) and two novel cap & floor designs (monthly- and yearly-based). Two other novel alternatives were also considered: daily- and weekly-based. It is shown that the hourly-based cap & floor system did not result in a reduction of the overall RES-E revenue compared to the fixed premium system over the three year period, though revenue was more evenly distributed from year-to-year. The paper concludes that variable premium systems should be based on monthly or yearly cap & floor mechanism as opposed to an hourly one. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Deployment of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) is already a reality for electricity supply and the debate whether distributed generation is going to replace almost totally or partially the current centralized generation paradigm is currently in place. Technical and economic advantages of DER have been addressed in the literature although regulation has also played a central role in DER deployment. This paper aims at contributing to that debate. Firstly, the advantages of both paradigms are reviewed and the cost recovery problem of the existing centralized related stranded costs discussed. Secondly, an optimization model, formulated to specifically address the discussion comparing both configuration paradigms. Main factors affecting the debate are identified and represented in the model: investment and operation costs, flexibility system requirements, demand response capabilities, building thermal demands, network investments and losses, and access-fee design, among others. Thirdly, a realistic case study, based on Spain, is presented and some qualitative conclusions extracted. Such kind of model is useful to undertake country specific studies either to perform sensitivity analysis revealing the relevance of the factors involved and the direct and indirect relationships among technologies, or to analyze the more efficient system configuration and align regulatory decisions towards it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper investigates hydro-pumped storage appraisal and commissioning in Italy and Spain. It argues that analyses to evaluate what is the most cost-efficient flexibility solution, including the possibility of improving existing facilities and regulatory frameworks, should be implemented on a case-by-case basis, as electricity storage is only one out of many possible sources of flexibility. Where pumped hydro is identified as the best solution to provide the ancillary services needed, a market''s ability to deliver it should then be tested, by addressing the major concerns for ex-ante appraisal the paper identifies. Only where a market ‘fails’ to deliver such capacity, a case for commissioning hydro-pumped storage may be justified. The key areas are then: (i) the criteria to define capacity adequacy and (ii) the procedures to select who should build and who should run such facilities. The risks and challenges identified suggest that this solution should be considered with caution. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Demand response resources management is one of the most investigated solutions oriented to improve the efficiency in electricity markets. In this paper, the capability of customers to participate in short term markets is analyzed. An available methodology to analyze the daily and monthly energy consumptions of large customers is used to create energy offers and bids. This allows customers to participate in energy markets in order to buy, as first step, the usual electricity consumption and, additionally, to offer demand reductions in the short term electricity markets. Additionally, this paper shows the customer potential to participate in the Spanish electricity markets. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper analyses the Spanish residential demand of a bundle of goods conforming the basic services of the households (i.e. electricity, natural gas and drinking water) in 2012. The analysis is made using a QUAIDS model modified in order to consider the censoring in the consumption of natural gas following the approach of Tauchmann (2010), one of the latest advances in this field. The results show that the demand for electricity and drinking water is less sensitive to the variations in prices and household's income than that of natural gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the relevance of fossil fuels in the electricity matrix in Spain, the electrical sector plays a crucial role in mitigation policies such as carbon taxes. Increased prices of electricity can act as an incentive to enhance energy efficiency contributing to CO2abatement. This paper evaluates a tax on electricity consumption (ECT). Focusing on energy efficiency commitments for Spain as established by EU Authorities for Horizon 2020 (H2020), a pricing model was created to assess economic impacts and its effectiveness in meeting this commitment. The analysis was performed by considering two scenarios, without (Scenario 1) and with (Scenario 2) tax recycling between the new tax and employer-paid social security benefits or contributing to price stability. In Scenario 2, the tax reform is achieved with tax recycling, offsetting the introduction of the ECT by reducing employer-paid social security payments. Two alternative restrictions on the tax reform were considered for the simulation of Scenario 2. In the first case, a restriction was imposed to ensure revenue neutrality (2-I). In the second case, the restriction ought to maintain price stability (2-II). Results from different scenarios offer an important range of possibilities for policy decisions. The results show that with a tax rate equal to 1%, there is a remarkable reduction of CO2emissions from the electricity sector, and the same happens with other sectors that the literature identifies as drivers of such emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents a methodology to optimize the size (electric power) of a cogeneration plant based on a biomass-fired Organic Rankine Cycle and connected to an existing district heating network, maximizing profitability. First, a model to determine the hourly thermal energy demand profile of a location in Spain has been derived, from open access meteorological data included in Spanish building regulations. Partial load model of an organic Rankine plant has also been obtained to increase the operation hours. These tools have been applied to two locations in Spain with different climatic severities, calculating the optimal size of the plant. The business model does not include subsidies. Calculations show that for population between 10,000 and 20,000 inhabitants the size of the plant ranges from 2 to 9 MWe and the internal rate of return ranges from 6% to 18%. The coverage of the thermal energy demand ranges from 40% to 80%. Regarding the trigeneration mode, it is concluded that cooling is only worth in locations with high summer severity and in full load operation mode, being the optimal size of the plant smaller in trigeneration mode than in cogeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper provides an economic valuation of RES-E promoted by the Spanish feed-in system. First, supported RES-E is evaluated in terms of CO2 emissions avoided when they are introduced in the Spanish electricity market instead of other potential polluting energy sources. And secondly, these positive environmental externalities of supported RES-E are compared with the funds they received from the Spanish feed-in system, in order to estimate the economic balance of this support system. The estimate for 2011 shows that approximately 10% of premiums paid to promote RES-E could be explained, from an economic point of view, by the monetary value of CO2 emissions avoided by not using alternative energy sources, as coal and combined cycle. Furthermore, the economic evaluation of National Energy Commission (CNE [Spanish acronym]) proposal that links the energy sources responsible for CO2 emissions to finance the support system of RES-E, confirms that the monetary value of CO2 emissions avoided when using promoted RES-E is nearly 70% of the revenues from the sale of allowances allocated to polluting technologies in the last National Plan of Emission Allowances in 2011. Promotion of RES-E over the use of fossil energy sources, must take into account not only the costs of their implementation, but also the overall balance of their use. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The cut-off of any subsidy or feed-in tariff that incentives the installation of new renewable energy systems which are close to the grid parity, is a reality in most of the European countries, but in the recent years the grid parity has worsened because of the global economic crisis. In the case of Spain, in addition to the economic problems, the photovoltaic sector has been dramatically damaged through a changeable regulatory framework, an excessive bureaucracy and the inclusion of additional fees or possible back-up tolls that are very prejudicial for the deployment of this sector. Nowadays, the current Spanish legislation mentions the possibility of self-consumption (totally or partially) of the electricity generated by PV or any renewable energy systems but, up to the date of this work, the law that regulates the administrative, technical and economic conditions for the net-metering of the electrical energy produced within the consumer׳s network, is still under a draft stage. In this paper it is analyzed the case of the University of Jaen, where it has been identified and simulated several PV systems on the roofs and parking lots of the University Campus, and considering the current electrical tariffs (hourly defined for the case of high power and high voltage consumers), it has been done a cost and economic analysis. As a result, it has been obtained an average Levelised Cost of Energy around 0.125€kWh−1, a discount payback time of 17.5 years or less, a positive Net Present Value and a nominal Internal Rate of Return of 8.48% in the worst case. Beyond that, it has been carried out a sensitivity analysis of the factors that have more influence in the profitability of these systems, like the initial investment cost, the PV electricity yield, additional taxes and the variations in the electricity price market. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The peculiarities of High Concentrator Photovoltaic (HCPV) modules make it very difficult to estimate their output. There are some methods to estimate the maximum power of an HCPV module which provide good results, but they are not easy to apply for the following reasons: a) they do not offer a comprehensive explanation of the entire procedure, b) they need some intrinsic parameters of MJ (multi-junction) solar cells which are difficult to obtain, c) it is necessary to have either complex and expensive devices for indoor measurements, and/or an accurate and complete set of outdoor measurements. This paper is intended to propose a model based on Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) to predict the maximum power of an HCPV module using easily measurable atmospheric parameters. To this end, a group of atmospheric parameters together with the maximum power of an HCPV module have been measured throughout a whole year at a research centre located in the south of Spain. The results showed that using atmospheric parameters, the proposed ANN is capable of estimating the maximum power of an HCPV module with a mean square root error of 3.29%. This model could be extended to other modules and other places. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Cool roofs are an inexpensive method to save energy and to improve the comfort level in buildings in mild and hot climates. A high scale implementation of cool roofs in Andalusia, in the south of Spain, could potentially save 295,000 kWh per year, considering only residential buildings with flat roofs using electrical heating. At the current energy prices, consumers can save 59 million euros annually in electricity costs and the emission of 136,000 metric tons of CO2 can be directly avoided every year from the production of that electricity. If radiative forcings are considered, Andalucía can potentially offset between 9.44 and 12 Mt of CO2. All the provinces in the rest of Spain are also studied in this paper. The biggest savings are achieved in Gran Canaria (48%), Tenerife (48%), Cádiz (36%), Murcia (33%), Huelva (30%), Málaga (29%), Almería (29%) and Sevilla (28%), where savings are greater than 2 euros per square meter of flat roof for old buildings with dark roofs. For the biggest cities the range of savings obtained are: between 7.4% and 11% in Madrid, between 12% and 18% in Barcelona and between 14% and 20% in Valencia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The main objective of this paper is to study and quantify the differences in energy consumption and environmental impacts of two dwellings during the full building life cycle: one in Spain, a developed country, and one in Colombia, a country under development. In both scenarios, we assessed the construction, use and end-of-life phases. Results show that the use phase in the Pamplona house (Colombia) represents a lower percentage for all impacts in the total than in the Barcelona house (Spain). The findings of this study showed that the difference in consumption in Colombia and Spanish dwellings analysed is not only due to the variation in results for bio-climatic differences but also because of the consumption habits in each country. The importance of consumption habits of citizens and the need to decouple socio-economic development from energy consumption are sought for achieving sustainability from a life cycle perspective. There is a crucial necessity to provide satisfaction to basic needs and comfort requirements of population with reasonable and sustainable energy consumption. Then, the type of standard dwelling varies substantially depending on the geographic location where it is built. Climate, technological, cultural, socio-economical differences clearly define the standard of a building in any context and in any region. However, the function is always the same, to provide protection and housing for its habitants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to identify those sectors that contribute most to electricity consumption in Spain, using a methodology based on input–output tables, and to derive some recommendations aimed at increasing energy efficiency in those sectors. This input–output approach is complemented with a sector-focused study in which the availability of electricity-efficient technologies per sector and the barriers to their uptake are identified. This hybrid approach is deemed useful to derive policy implications. We thus propose several instruments to remove those barriers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper, we propose a solution for gunshot location in national parks. In Spain there are agencies such as SEPRONA that fight against poaching with considerable success. The DiANa project, which is endorsed by Cabãneros National Park and the SEPRONA service, proposes a system to automatically detect and locate gunshots. This work presents its technical aspects related to network design and planning. The system consists of a network of acoustic sensors that locate gunshots by hyperbolic multi-lateration estimation. The differences in sound time arrivals allow the computation of a low error estimator of gunshot location. The accuracy of this method depends on tight sensor clock synchronization, which an ad-hoc time synchronization protocol provides. On the other hand, since the areas under surveillance are wide, and electric power is scarce, it is necessary to maximize detection coverage and minimize system cost at the same time. Therefore, sensor network planning has two targets, i.e., coverage and cost. We model planning as an unconstrained problem with two objective functions. We determine a set of candidate solutions of interest by combining a derivative-free descent method we have recently proposed with a Pareto front approach. The results are clearly superior to random seeding in a realistic simulation scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]