A multi-million dollar investment in Aragon
A few weeks ago it was announced that Amazon plans to invest 15.7 billion euros in Aragon to establish several data centers. This investment will provide a significant boost to contemporary electronic communications and is expected to generate up to 7,000 jobs. This investment decision is added to other smaller investments that have been made in various regions of the State.
The impact of renewable energies
The president of Aragon has emphasized that this investment decision is closely related to the large presence of renewable energies in the region. This data center infrastructure needs a large amount of electrical energy, and the availability of green energy in Aragon will allow this demand to be met. Currently, these infrastructures already consume approximately 2% of global electricity demand, and this figure is expected to increase to the point where data center electricity consumption is equivalent to Japan’s total electricity demand.
The importance of long-term sales contracts
To ensure the availability of a large amount of electricity, long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) are often used. These agreements allow large consumers of electricity to secure a specific power for an extended period of time. According to the International Energy Agency, companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, Meta and Google are the main subscribers to these agreements at the corporate level, with a joint procurement of around 50 GW (https://www.softcatala .org/resum-de-textos-en-catala/).
Aragon’s leadership in renewable energy
Aragon has been one of the autonomous communities that has promoted renewable energy the most in recent years. In terms of installed power, Aragon ranks third in terms of renewable deployment in the State, with more than 3,000 MW of wind and 2,000 MW of solar installed. This investment in renewable energy has contributed to the creation of new jobs and has positioned Aragon as a benchmark in this area.
Catalonia’s situation in renewable deployment
Compared to other regions, Catalonia occupies a lower position in terms of renewable deployment. With just over 150 MW installed, Catalonia represents only 0.6% of the total power installed in the State (https://www.softcatala.org/resum-de-textos-en-catala/ ). This situation can make it difficult to attract investments in activities that require intensive consumption of electricity. It is important that Catalonia increases its efforts in renewable deployment to improve its competitiveness and boost economic activity.
The importance of energy policies
This case highlights how energy policy decisions can influence the presence and use of renewable resources in a territory. The availability of renewable energies can have a direct impact on industrial location decisions and on the generation of employment (https://www.softcatala.org/resum-de-textos-en-catala/). It is essential that the regions promote energy policies that encourage the deployment of renewable energy sources and contribute to the transition towards a more sustainable economy.
