TEN-energy: imagination to reduce huge irrigation costs

Spanish irrigators resort to creative ways to meet the superlatives electrical costs of its modern facilities. FENACORE calls on the authorities to promote the trans-European energy network, as a first step towards a common energy market in buying and selling energy.

The president of the National Federation of irrigators communities (FENACORE), Andrés del Campo, asked the Government to expedite the construction of the “electricity highways” that allow effectively connect Spain with the rest of Europe, as a preliminary step to achieve a really transparent purchasing power, while ensuring an affordable supply and reduced dependence on foreign common energy market.

Del Campo, who was speaking at the opening of the conference “Irrigation and regulations on irrigation ponds” inaugurated by the Minister of Agriculture, Isabel García Tejerina, recalled that when the first anniversary of the Madrid Declaration met, by which Spain, France and Portugal sealed the commitment to transport by 2020 at least 10% of electricity from our power plants to neighboring countries, the Spanish electricity system still has a high infrastructure deficit connection.

Given that we are less than four years away, he drew attention to the importance of making electricity interconnection with Portugal, as well as increase the capacity of electricity exchange between Spain and France from 2,800 megawatts (MW) today to 8,000 MW, helping us to become the gateway of energy to the rest of the continent.
Exporters rather than importers

According Fenacore, one of the most important consequences of lifting this network is that Spain will become energy producer and exporter rather than importer. Thus, it can reduce costs covered by the government, which are those that most affect seasonal energy users such as irrigators, who must pay all year for a service that only used in the irrigation campaign and which it has increased exponentially over the past eight years under the guise of covering the deficit rate.

In this context to the Energy Union, he warned of the active role of the irrigators, since taking advantage of the sun, water or wind, can become active producers of renewable energies, injecting into the national grid (REE) electricity that do not use for consumption outside the irrigation season, which is known as net balance or net Metering.

The launch of the Net Metering also allow compensate for the sharp rise in its electricity bill, which is up more than 1,000% since 2008, because as you increase own production more diminish these fixed costs, which now account for more than 70 % from the total.

“When we take advantage of our own resources, promoting own energy production, in line with what is driving Europe, we are slowly toward what we call electric justice. Not only we have to be at the expense of outside, but we will have in our hands the formula for guaranteed energy supply, reducing costs. ”
Creative solutions for supply at lower price

This request to boost net balance comes at a time when irrigators are encouraging energy audits for the pumping system and water distribution of the parcels can be carried out through renewable energy and thus , mitigate costs while other measures studied with the Administration, as payment for the contracted power materialize.

While it is true that the exemption from 85% in tax electricity and reduction achieved modules late last year are getting a near annual saving of 30%, it is necessary to continue working towards solutions to help offset actually the more than 300 million euros to pay extra power since 2008.

Hence this initiative audits, joins other creative measures, such as prioritizing the uneven terrain for pressurized water irrigation pipes; the momentum of photovoltaics through the European project Maslowaten, plus other energy alternat or joint purchasing of energy through the central purchasing Fenacore.

Spain: National Water Pact

FENACORE requested the implementation of a National Water Pact that allows the State to fully and without interference of autonomies exercise its powers on the management of the Public Water and water planning in the intercommunity basins that the Constitution recognizes him, assuring forms a stable, fair and orderly water in Spain horizon.

More than a hundred irrigators, meeting board prior to the technical conference which will address tomorrow’s challenges energy and water efficiency in irrigation character, approved a manifesto for a global consensus among the major parties that make development possible largoplacista a water policy and based on the general interest.

Thus, after recognition of Brussels by doing homework on water planning in record time, thus avoiding penalties for delays in the first round, the irrigators insisted that the river basin plans that are approved must be executed during the cycle appropriate policy without depending on the priorities of who governs then.

Furthermore, this national pact would end the localist vision of water trying to impose autonomies, as it would protect the constitutional principle of basin unit, defending the Hydrographic Confederations as state institutions which are integrated and have a stake without overstepping their skills all users and stakeholders in water management agents.
Thus, irrigators showed their support for the Hydrologic Plans approved by the government last January -through Royal Decree 1/2016 to represent an example of consensus between users, autonomous communities and social representatives.

In this regard, they recalled that the river basin plans Occidental -Cantábrico, Guadalquivir, Ceuta, Melilla, Segura and Júcar, Cantabrian Oriental, Minho-Sil, Duero, Tajo, Guadiana and Ebro were approved in accordance with the provisions of the Spanish legislation (Water Act) and European (Water Framework Directive), with the majority support of the Councils of Water and virtually unanimous support from users.

Below we reproduce the “manifesto”:

1. We support the Water Plans approved by the Government, which are the result of a broad consensus of users, the autonomous communities and social representatives after the corresponding processes of public information.
2. We demand absolute respect for the principle of unity of watersheds, as embodied in the management through the Hydrographic Confederations Bodies of the State Administration to oversee the general interest, with a long tradition in Spain, in which integrate the autonomous communities, users and other stakeholders in water management.
3. We request the approval of a National Pact to enable the State to fully exercise the powers constitutionally devolving on the management of state public water and water planning in intercommunity basins to ensure a stable, fair and orderly water in Spain horizon.
4. We request the approval of the National Irrigation Plan Sustainable give a boost and prioritize water saving policies and modernization of irrigation with corresponding budget allocations.

Source: Fenacore