Politics · Spain · 4 hrs ago
Renewables chief urges next Spanish government to boost electricity demand
Santiago Gómez, president of Spain’s renewable energy business association APPA, is urging the next government to make energy policy less political.
He says renewable power is now competitive and quick to install, but electricity demand has not grown as expected.
As a result, he says Spain is wasting about a quarter of its renewable electricity because there is not enough demand for it.
Gómez wants the government to encourage uses such as electric transport, heating, data centers and industrial power.
He also says the rules proposed for data centers would not encourage enough new installations and should be adjusted.
Rising electricity prices worry him because, he says, higher bills can make people and businesses use less power.
The next government will face decisions on electricity grid planning and the country’s energy plan, though the source does not say what it will decide.
APPA president Santiago Gómez urged Spain’s next government to increase electricity demand as renewable generation outpaces consumption.
He said demand could be raised by electrifying transport and heating, supporting industry and enabling data centres.
Gómez said Spanish renewables are wasting 25% of their production because there is not enough demand.
He called for energy policy to be kept out of ideological battles and warned that rising electricity prices worry the sector.
He said the next government should focus on competitiveness, industry and jobs.
- Who
- Santiago Gómez, president of Spain’s Association of Renewable Energy Companies (APPA).
- What
- He urged the next Spanish government to increase electricity demand and support renewable energy.
- When
- In an interview published on October 11, 2026, and updated on October 12.
- Where
- Spain.
- Why
- Electricity demand has not grown as expected, leaving renewable production without enough buyers and putting pressure on the power system.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
las renovables en España están derrochando el 25% de su producción porque no hay demanda, la prioridad debe ser darle salida.
No creo que haya gobierno que venga que cuestione las renovables.
Nos preocupa mucho.
Santiago Gómez became president of APPA.
Gómez referred to retroactive cuts to sector premiums as part of an earlier period of policy disagreement.
El Mundo published its interview with Gómez.
El Mundo updated the interview.
- APPA president
- Santiago Gómez
- Renewable production wasted
- 25%
- Gómez became APPA president
- 2020
- Requested period for government priorities
- First 100 days
- Interview published
- October 11, 2026
Sources
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