1. Portugal needs to develop infrastructure and grid capacity to meet the PNEC challenges

The recent update of the objectives of the National Energy and Climate Plan (PNEC) 2030 has marked the celebration of the leading networking event Energyear Portugal 2023. Therefore, the opportunities and challenges that the renewable sector has in Portugal if it wants to achieve the ambitious results that have been proposed between now and 2030 were defined. In particular, it was highlighted the need for Portugal to develop infrastructures for the use of the grid and to respond to all projects in an efficient way.

João Bernardo, Director General, Directorate General of Energy and Geology (DGEG) of Portugal, said that Portugal is in a very interesting position from the point of view of energy and the basic structure and conditions, as well as highlighting the country's complete commitment to renewables, which will require a major electrification of the grid. Bernardo also highlighted the exponential growth that Portugal has experienced in recent decades, which has led to increasingly ambitious challenges. "In the 1980s there were half a dozen producers and now we have 10 million in Portugal, so it is more difficult and we have to pay attention to everybody," he stressed.

2. Las renovables generaron en junio un 6,4% más que en el mismo mes de 2022 en España

Las renovables generaron este mes de junio un 6,4% más que en el mismo mes de 2022 y registraron 9.851 GWh, lo que supone una cuota del 46% del total de la producción, según datos disponibles, tal y como informó Red Eléctrica. Por otra parte, el 65,6% de la producción eléctrica del mes procedió de tecnologías que no emiten CO2 equivalente.

Este junio, uno de los meses del calendario que más horas de luz tiene, la solar fotovoltaica ha registrado una producción de 3.838 GWh, un 19,1% más que en el mismo periodo del año anterior, y se ha convertido, por primera vez, en la fuente de generación renovable líder de nuestro país, con una cuota del 17,9%. Le sigue la eólica, cuya aportación en junio fue de 3.139 GWh, el 14,6% del mix mensual, pero que, en el conjunto de los primeros seis meses del 2023, se erige como la primera fuente de producción de electricidad en nuestro país, con una cuota del 24,1%. La hidráulica, por su parte, ha incrementado su producción respecto al mismo mes del año anterior en un 57,6%, y anotó 1.880 GWh, el 8,8% del total en nuestro país.

3. European mobility and hydrogen associations call on EU to revise the Weights and Dimensions Directive

Many factors influence the development of clean and sustainable mobility. Therefore, the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA), the Platform for electromobility and Hydrogen Europe called on the EU to revise the Weights & Dimensions Directive to facilitate the deployment of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) in Europe, stressing the need to simplify the Directive as much as possible and ensure a fully harmonized implementation in Member States; provide additional weight allowances for zero-emission vehicles and adjust the provisions for axle weights and vehicle length to accommodate the requirements of zero-emission powertrains; and ensure intermodal compatibility in the revision of the Weights & Dimensions Directive.

As the three associations pointed out in a joint letter in which they call on the European institutions, namely the European Commission, the incoming Spanish Council Presidency, the European Parliament and EU Member States to prioritize making the necessary adjustments in the Weights & Dimensions framework. “It is imperative that progress is made swiftly to remove barriers in the Weights & Dimensions framework that may hinder the market adoption of zero-emission trucks and buses”, they said.

4. Colombia cierra el primer pacto por la Transición Energética Justa en La Guajira

Con la presencia del presidente de la República, Gustavo Petro, se firmó el pacto por la transición energética entre autoridades tradicionales Wayuu, líderes sociales, empresas desarrolladoras de proyectos de energías renovables y el Gobierno que establece una alianza histórica para el beneficio de las comunidades enmarcada en la transición energética justa como eje central.

Como afirmaron desde el Ministerio de Minas y Energía del país, en total han sido 260 personas entre autoridades tradicionales, líderes sociales, representantes y voceros del pueblo étnico de la comunidad Wayuu, representantes de 12 empresas desarrolladoras de proyectos de energía renovable, la agremiación ‘Ser Colombia’, aliados internacionales y el Gobierno del Cambio, los que firmaron este primer pacto por la Transición Energética Justa en La Guajira.

5. One in four Danish homeowners have made energy improvements in the past year

Danes have become better at making energy improvements in their homes. The Danish Energy Agency's Energy Barometer shows that more than one in four Danish homeowners have made energy improvements to their homes in the past year. This is an increase compared to the previous year, when only one in five homeowners energy optimised their home. The survey shows that while many people used to consider a project, many more are now taking the step and realising the energy improvements.

“In the past year, when energy prices have been high, there has been a much greater focus on energy consumption. This also applies to the home, where the heating bill is suddenly no longer a constant. Many people have realised that they can actually do something active to reduce their home's energy consumption,” said Matilde Grøn Bjørneboe, the Danish Energy Agency's expert in energy saving advice and Danes' energy habits.