Spain has initiated an energy savings plan aligned with the European Union’s aim to cut gas use by seven percent by the end of winter, a target sharpened for many member states to fifteen percent. The government expects the savings to accelerate as awareness grows among consumers.
The Ministry for Ecological Transition notes that energy consumption fell more sharply in the second week of the package’s rollout. The measures included closing shop windows after 10 pm and enforcing a curfew, with public buildings and large venues maintaining 27 degrees Celsius in summer and 19 degrees in winter at most.
In the first week of the austerity decree, consumption dropped by 3.7 percent (August 8–14). In the following week (August 15–21), the decline reached as much as 9.5 percent from the previous week, or up to 8.6 percent compared with the same week last year, according to data presented by Joan Groizard, executive director of the Institute for Energy Diversification and Conservation (IDAE), in an interview with Cadena SER.
Nevertheless, the government stresses that these measures will not fully satisfy the European Commission’s demand to reduce gas consumption. A new package of measures is being prepared for approval in September. Autonomous communities and municipalities are invited to submit proposals by the end of the month. Proposed additions could include extending closures of monuments or reducing illuminated advertising.
expendable lighting
The administration does not intend to cut back on public street lighting due to safety concerns, but it is open to evaluating which lighting can be considered expendable. There is talk of expanding the current restrictions to include monuments or nighttime advertising.
The Ministry acknowledges some municipalities’ reluctance to illuminate monuments given tourism impacts. Similarly, authorities show hesitation about applying cuts to urban Christmas decorations, noting that newer, more efficient lighting likely yields modest savings. One official remarked that Christmas lighting does not warrant sacrifices that would save only tiny fractions of consumption.
For energy conservation, the aim is to prevent homes from becoming cold in winter while industry reduces its energy use. A new package of measures is being developed, including initiatives to improve energy efficiency and accelerate implementation, and to promote renewable energy sources or industrial shifts away from natural gas toward alternatives such as biomass.