Teresa Ribera, the Vice President and Minister for the Ecological Transition, responded to criticisms raised by the top executive of Repsol. Josu Jon Imaz, the company’s chief executive, defended a strategy focused on decarbonization without giving up any energy sources, advocating less ideology and more technology. He directly questioned the vice president about whether she wants the company to shut its refineries and whether she supports the Spanish industry. Ribera answered a few hours later with a clear rebuttal.
“For now it is difficult to imagine closing the Spanish refineries,” Ribera stated, while noting that plants capable of producing fuels from petroleum could face an expiry date. In the long term, looking ahead to strategies up to 2040 or 2050, we should be prepared for a phaseout of fossil fuels. It is very likely that gasoline and diesel will not be needed,” she added. “There is ample time to do things right.”
When Imaz pressed Ribera to clarify whether she supports the Spanish industry and whether she wants it to remain in the country, she responded firmly. “Of course I want an industry, a present and future industry,” she said. “This is a government that supports industry and industrialization. A government that understands reindustrialization must evolve to become increasingly competitive, precisely with lower CO2 emissions.”
Ribera backed the strategy of oil companies like Repsol and Cepsa to pivot toward diversified energy service models that are increasingly decarbonized. “Not anticipating the industry’s decarbonization process is something we must avoid. We have time to do things right. Repsol has ample capacity to do so. Repsol should focus its efforts on continuing in that direction.”
“Do you want us to shut down the refineries?”
In his defense, Imaz argued for a multienergy approach and technological neutrality, stressing the use of all energy sources to decarbonize. He highlighted that it is not only about renewable electricity generation but also about low-emission fuels to drive industrial sectors that cannot rely on electricity for their processes such as chemicals, cement, paper, and heavy transport.
“The alternative to this plan is the closure of the refineries. Minister Ribera, do you want us to close the refineries that provide jobs, including direct, indirect, and induced employment for around twenty-eight thousand people in Spain?” Imaz asked. “We reject the view of industry as a problem. We will fight with determination to keep transforming and improving our refineries while reducing their CO2 footprint. I would like, and I sincerely wish, for the minister to stay close, to assist and collaborate in this objective and journey.”
Imaz insisted on technological neutrality to preserve Spain’s industrial base and to maintain competitiveness. “Not in rhetoric, but in truth, I ask this question: Do we want industry Yes or No? I would ask the vice president and minister for Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera. Do we want industry, minister Ribera? We want it.”
Ministry sources confirmed governmental support for the industry. They stressed that the future relies on affordable and stable electricity guided by renewable energy, plus a commitment to decarbonization with green gases and green hydrogen. They reiterated that the country will continue to use fossil fuels for some time but expect Repsol to ensure employment for its twenty-eight thousand workers by evolving the company, not abandoning it. The understanding remains that those workers will be protected as the industry transitions forward.