Friday, March 29

Catalonia proposes to the Government to save on gas with solar panels in public buildings and bike parking for civil servants


The Generalitat de Catalunya sent last night to the Ministry of Ecological Transition a shock plan for the “reduction of the consumption of fossil natural gas”. The Department of Climate Action, among other measures, proposes to install solar panels in all official buildings, the creation of parking spaces for the bikes of civil servants, as well as a shared bicycle service and the generalization of teleworking among public workers.

The Government proposes to use public buildings to promote self-consumption and reduce energy poverty

Know more

Catalonia thus responds to the need to save gas, expressed by the European Union authorities in anticipation of possible supply cuts by Russia in the context of tensions over the invasion of Ukraine.

In a six-page document to which elDiario.es has had access, the Government transfers a battery of measures, among which is the creation of a public energy company.

Said body should be able to “participate in the different activities of the electrical system, with special attention to the reversal of hydroelectric concessions and the distribution network which, together with energy storage, represents the backbone of the transition to a distributed and democratic model” , According to the document. This measure was already included in the Government’s plan for the XIV legislature, presented a year ago.

In total, Catalonia proposes eight measures:

1. Accelerate the development of biomethane injection projects into the natural gas distribution or transportation network by adapting existing biogas plants.

2. Reduce electricity losses in transmission and distribution, which are considered to be at least 15%, bringing supply closer to demand.

3. Take advantage of photovoltaic surpluses from self-consumption plants that incorporate non-injection devices to the network, to avoid long periods of time and frequent denials of access and connection permits by the distribution company.

4. Allow surplus compensation for capacities of up to 1 MW.

5. Eliminate access and connection permits for self-consumption power equal to or less than the contracted power, at least for installations with power less than 500 KW.

6. Real separation of activities from the electricity system and audit of regulated costs

7. Creation of a public energy company.

8. A responsible and exemplary public administration to deal with the energy crisis.

This last point is where the emphasis on bicycle transport is included, with the “implementation in all public buildings of secure parking for the bicycles of its workers and visitors”. In addition, it is urged to promote the implementation of the bike-to-work program of shared bicycles for private use for home-work trips as well as secure parking for bicycles in all public buildingsā€œ.



www.eldiario.es