The Ministry of Agriculture, led by Isaura Navarro, has publicly dissociated itself from any ties to former minister Mireia Mollà. The dismissal of Pedro Fresco from the position of director-general of the Ecological Transition was presented as a consequence of underwhelming performance and slow progress within the administration. Regional authorities noted that, among 17,800 applications received this year for self-consumption aid, only 30 have been approved thus far, highlighting a wider concern that current execution is not meeting expectations. This scenario has intensified calls for a stronger, more coordinated push to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy across the region.
In Alicante, during a plenary session, Consell’s vice president and spokesperson, Aitana Mas, clarified that Fresco had been removed and that Enric Juan, previously Managing Director of Social Services Infrastructures, would assume the role. This move was described as a routine measure aimed at refreshing leadership. Mas emphasized that Navarro’s new team intends to inject a clear, decisive boost into the Department. She also pointed to a synchronized plan across the three ministries involved to resolve all solar project files awaiting approval before January 25. The lingering question is when the backlog will finally clear. Mas reaffirmed the Botànic Government’s commitment to achieving 6,000 megawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2030 and noted that reaching this target demands substantial progress across multiple agencies and sustained execution of solar programs.
Pedro Fresco issued a response indicating he had anticipated the termination in recent weeks. He added that since Mireia Mollà’s dismissal, the administration had prepared a resignation letter he believed to be impractical for a professional with deep expertise in energy policy. His remarks reflected a broader concern about the direction of the Ecological Transition Ministry and the expectations of technical professionals working in energy systems—especially those responsible for assessing the feasibility of large-scale solar deployment.
In an interview with À Punt, Fresco recalled being informed of a replacement only the previous day around 6 p.m., while noting that the search for a successor had been ongoing for some time. He described the personnel changes as part of a continuing process and suggested that the timing of the replacement marked a shift in the government’s energy strategy. He also observed that he had prepared a resignation letter, arguing that the new ministry’s approach did not align with the realities faced by energy technologists on the ground. He contended that simply installing solar panels on building rooftops would not alone deliver the essential energy transition. Realizing the 6,000 MW target by 2030 would require a broader mix of technologies and stronger policy support across sectors to unlock the full potential of renewables.