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This paper addresses the economic and environmental effects of three scenarios of change for the electricity sector in Spain, in line with the European Union targets: (1) to address the low trade with the rest of Europe, increasing the integration with the European network; (2) to enhance environmental sustainability, increasing the use of renewable energy sources, while decreasing the use of brown energy sources; and (3) increasing the competitiveness of the Spanish electricity sector. To this end, we develop a computable general equilibrium model, with 72 productive sectors, eleven of which are energy sectors, where electricity is disaggregated into five production technologies and transmission, distribution, commercialization, and related activities. The model is calibrated on a previously developed input-output table with this detailed disaggregation for Spain for 2013. Our results suggest potential improvements in production and trade, and reductions in CO 2 emissions in scenario 2 are also observed. • We address the effects of three policy scenarios for electricity sector in Spain. • We analyze the effects of increasing trade, renewables, and competitiveness. • We construct and disaggregate a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model. • CGE distinguishes the businesses of the sector and the production technologies. • We found improvements in production and trade and reductions in CO 2 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A significant number of islands have been forced to restrict the penetration level of renewable energy sources (RES) in their conventional electrical power systems. These limitations attempt to prevent problems that might affect the stability and security of the electrical system. Restrictions that may apply to the penetration of wind energy can also be an obstacle when meeting European Union renewable energy objectives. As a partial solution to the problem, this paper proposes the installation of a properly managed, wind-powered, pumped hydro energy storage system (PHES) on the island of Gran Canaria (Canary Islands). Results from a dynamic model of the island’s power system show that the installation of a pumped storage system is fully supported in all circumstances. They also show that the level of wind penetration in the network can be increased. These results have been obtained assuming that two of the largest existing reservoirs on the island (with a difference in altitude of 281 m and a capacity of aprox. 5,000,000 m3 each) are used as storage reservoirs with three 54 MW generators. Likewise, the ability of such facilities to contribute to the stability of the system is shown. This type of installation can reduce fossil fuel consumption, reducing CO2 emissions. Moreover, not only can the PHES improve wind penetration level, but it also allows the number of wind farms installed to be increased. Regions with geographically suitable sites and energy problems similar to those on the Canary Islands are encouraged to analyze the technical and economic feasibility of installing similar power systems to the one in this paper. Such systems have an enormous, unexplored potential within the general guiding framework of policies promoting clean, renewable energy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Physical hydronomics (PH) is the specific application of thermodynamics that physically characterizes the governance of water bodies, i.e., the Water Framework Directive (WFD) for European Union citizens. In this paper, calculation procedures for the exergy analysis of river basins are developed within the WFD guidelines and a case study is developed. Therefore, it serves as an example for the feasible application of PH in the environmental cost assessment of water bodies, accordingly to the principle of recovery of the costs related to water services in accordance with the polluter pays principle, one of the milestones of the WFD. The Foix River watershed, a small river located at the Inland Basins of Catalonia (IBC), has been analyzed. Main results, difficulties, and constraints encountered are shown in the paper. Following WFD''s quantity and quality objectives previously defined, water costs are calculated and the equivalence between the exergy loss due to water users and the exergy variation along the river are also analyzed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The European Union has established challenging targets for the share of renewable energies to be achieved by 2020; for Spain, 20% of the final energy consumption must be from renewable sources at such time. The aim of this paper is the analysis of the consequences for the electricity sector (in terms of excess cost of electricity, investment requirements, land occupation, CO2 emissions and overcapacity of conventional power) of several possibilities to comply with the desired targets. Scenarios are created from different hypotheses for energy demand, biofuel share in final energy in transport, contribution of renewables for heating and cooling, renewable electricity generation (generation mix, deployment rate, learning curves, land availability) and conventional power generation (lifetime of current installations, committed deployment, fossil fuel costs and CO2 emissions cost). A key input in the estimations presented is the technical potential and the cost of electricity from renewable sources, which have been estimated in previous, detailed studies by the present authors using a methodology based on a GIS (Geographical Information System) and high resolution meteorological data. Depending on the scenario, the attainment of the targets will lead to an increase in the cost of electricity from 19% to 37% with respect to 2007. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]