El resurgimiento de la energía minihidráulica en España y su situación actual

Abstract

Small hydro power plants have been a pioneering energy source for electricity production since the late nineteenth century. The oil crisis of the 1970s highlighted the need to focus on renewable energies, as these reduce dependence on other energy producing countries and reducing their environmental impact. This article analyzes the evolution of minihydraulic energy in Spain from the mid - 20th century to the present. The analysis of the legal framework that aff ects this energy technology and the evolution of the installed power in the last decades have allowed to determine its resurgence and development, as well as to know the current limitations. Since the approval of the Electricity Sector Law (1997), the number of Small hydro power plants has increased by 90%, 52% of installed capacity and 72% of the energy generated. The balance of recent years is very positive, although at present the sector is stalled as a result of the diff iculties existing for the new implementation of these facilities, and in particular by the guidelines of the new Energy Policy for renewables. Keywords: Energy, Small Hydropower, Energy Policy, Regulations, Territorial distribution.