The energy policy of the Provincial Council of Granada is channelled through the Environment delegation, and specifically through the actions carried out by the Provincial Energy Agency of Granada as an instrumental body for the development of the actions.
The guidelines on which the Plan is based are as follows:
- Detection of endogenous natural resources.
- Valorisation of the resources.
- Establishment of the scope of practical application of these resources in specific energy projects.
- Search for funding for project implementation.
- Collaboration with municipalities in the implementation of sustainable energy development measures.
- General information to all publics in order to promote the activity related to sustainable energy development.
PROVINCIAL CLIMATE PROTECTION PLAN
In 2001, the Granada Provincial Energy Agency was created as an instrumental body of the Granada Provincial Council to promote a more sustainable regional energy model associated with the creation of local activity in the sector.
In 2002, an agreement for the promotion of renewable energies and energy efficiency was signed with the Banco de Crédito Local.
In 2005, the provincial Energy Audit Plan began to be developed in the province, and by the end of 2009, 152 municipal energy audits had been carried out in the province.
In 2007, based on the information already available, the foundations for investment in the province began to be laid within the Provincial Climate Protection Plan 20-11 to reduce the energy bill of Granada’s municipalities, promote activity in the sustainable energy development sector, and promote actions in the private and public sector to achieve the objectives of renewable production and energy savings.
In 2009, the Granada Provincial Council signed the European Covenant of Mayors as a support structure, and appointed the Granada Provincial Energy Agency to manage this European programme for the promotion of energy improvement policies in the municipalities of Granada.
The Provincial Climate Protection Plan continues in the current stage adapting to the times of crisis and promoting actions through programmes of energy service companies and European funding that allow the continuation of investment activities in the province, and that create synergies with the promotion and dissemination activities towards companies and citizens. The aim is to generate greater local activity in the sector in the region, and to achieve the objectives of reducing energy demand and producing clean energy.
Currently, in addition to the various training and dissemination programmes, technical assistance to the Diputación de Granada itself and to the municipalities of Granada, the investment programmes established in this plan have already achieved this:
- The installation of 12,961 efficient public lighting lamps in the municipalities of the province of Granada, and the supply of a further 6,291 efficient lamps. A further 7,866 efficient lamps will be added to these numbers in the coming months.
- The installation of 36.4 kW of nominal photovoltaic power in public buildings, as well as the upcoming installation of 350 kW more for which financing is available.
- The installation of around 500 kW of Biomass boilers in municipal buildings.