12 Jun

In this interview, Laura Garcia, Director of Energy Transition at Grupo Trebol Energia, reviews the main areas of activity of the consultancy firm, highlighting the actions taken with large energy-consuming companies to help them decarbonise. Garcia also comments on key developments in the energy sector, such as the power outage on 28 April, the implementation of the CAE system, and the current state of renewable energy deployment in Catalonia.

You work with more than 400 industrial clients and large energy consumers, helping them become more efficient and adapt to the energy transition.

Decarbonisation is a key driver for achieving the energy model changes our society needs, and it has been one of the main incentives behind European countries' legislation aimed at securing this transformation.

In this context, industry plays an absolutely central role—not only because of its share in energy consumption and emissions (it represents almost a quarter of final energy consumption in Spain), but also because its future competitiveness will depend directly on its ability to meet decarbonisation targets. European standards are becoming increasingly demanding, and aligning with these requirements—by adapting production processes in terms of efficiency and zero emissions—is crucial to remaining competitive in a global market.

The figures behind the decarbonisation targets leave no room for improvisation…

Indeed, both the 2023–2030 PNIEC and the 2050 PROENCAT clearly state that industry must significantly reduce its consumption and emissions. The national plan targets a 13.4% reduction in final consumption and a 42% cut in emissions by 2030, while the Catalan plan projects a 30% drop in industrial energy consumption by 2050. These figures show that the industrial sector's adaptation is not optional—it’s essential for meeting climate targets and for its own economic sustainability.

Grupo Trebol Energia has also led projects that significantly improved the energy efficiency of major industrial consumers.

One of the most recent cases we led involved a large industrial consumer with continuous 24/7 thermal processes, where the main challenge was to reduce consumption in a high-demand energy environment.

After an advanced technical audit, we designed and implemented a heat recovery system tailored to their processes. This not only improved the system’s energy efficiency but also enabled the reuse of a significant portion of residual energy, thus reducing fuel consumption and related emissions.

The impact was remarkable: thanks to the Energy Saving Certificates (CAEs) system, the company received an economic return three times greater than its initial investment. This clearly shows how well-designed actions can contribute not only to sustainability but also to direct, measurable financial benefits for the client.

Energy Saving Certificates have already become a fundamental tool for decarbonising the energy sector. What’s your assessment of the system since its launch?

Although the Energy Saving Certificate (CAE) system—approved by Royal Decree 36/2023—is a major step forward, its implementation has been slower than we would have liked. It’s a new market, and all stakeholders are still in a learning phase. Projects with standardised measures are relatively quick to process, but unique actions—very common in industrial environments—face technical complexity and data traceability challenges that can delay implementation. Nevertheless, we view this new mechanism very positively: it provides greater traceability and a more direct financial return than previous FNEE subsidies.

In any case, you’ve already completed major projects under this system.

Yes, we’ve processed several CAE-backed projects that clearly demonstrate their potential, especially in 24/7 industrial environments. The projects with the greatest economic impact are those targeting continuous processes such as compressors, heat recovery systems, or heat exchangers. In these cases, the amount of energy saved is very high, resulting in an extraordinarily positive investment-to-benefit ratio.

We’ve led projects where monetising savings via CAEs has far exceeded the initial investment, allowing companies to recover costs quickly and consolidate long-term energy efficiency improvements.

You're also specialists in areas like PPAs, energy procurement, and other energy management strategies.

At Grupo Trebol Energia, we advise many of our industrial clients on PPA contracting and other energy purchasing strategies tailored to their risk profiles and sustainability goals.

PPA contracts are a key tool to ensure stable medium- and long-term prices and have proven especially useful in avoiding the impact of recent price volatility driven by geopolitical tensions and regulatory uncertainty.

Depending on each client’s risk tolerance, we’ve structured various types of PPAs—from 100% renewable agreements linked to new projects to hybrid-indexed supply contracts combining green energy with financial hedging options. This strategic diversification has allowed us to maximise savings, reduce market exposure, and provide budget certainty—especially for energy-intensive sectors where economic efficiency is vital for competitiveness.

What kind of savings have you seen from these contracts?

All our clients who have adopted a planned energy procurement strategy have achieved significant savings, particularly in recent years marked by high price volatility.

A clear example is clients with PPAs signed at around €40/MWh, who have been able to maintain these stable prices during periods when the market rose to €100–200/MWh. This difference not only translated into major economic savings but, in many cases, was key to ensuring business viability—especially in energy-intensive industries.

We’re talking about cumulative savings of millions of euros. But beyond the numbers, the strategic value of having secured prices, protected margins, and maintained competitiveness in an extremely challenging context is what truly stands out.

Efficiency is essential, but so is access to competitive energy. Do you believe the reindustrialisation of Catalonia should go hand-in-hand with renewable energy?

Yes, the reindustrialisation of Catalonia must be accompanied by renewables, but also by storage and demand flexibility. We can’t imagine a new industry without clean, affordable, and intelligent energy. PPAs, self-consumption, and advanced energy management systems offer price stability and emissions reductions. Decarbonisation and digitalisation will be the two main pillars of the new European industry, and Catalonia must position itself as a leader in this integrated, resilient, and competitive energy model.

What measures do you see as essential for accelerating the deployment of renewables in the region?

Renewable deployment is progressing well, but for this growth to be sustainable and efficient, it must be accompanied by two key measures: storage and demand flexibility.

Without these, the system cannot properly balance generation and consumption, especially with variable sources like solar and wind. We need to promote battery systems, smart industry management, and demand response mechanisms. Additionally, streamlining administrative procedures and improving territorial planning are essential to ensure that renewables are integrated in an orderly, consensual way that delivers local benefits.

To absorb all this renewable energy, we need a robust grid. Is the current system up to the task? What changes are needed?

To absorb the forecasted renewable energy, we need a more modern, flexible, and digitalised grid. The current model was designed for centralised generation, but the energy transition is steering us towards a distributed, bidirectional, and much more dynamic system.

We need to strengthen grid planning and investment, speed up connections, incorporate automation technologies, and equip the system to manage storage, self-consumption, and demand-side flexibility. In short, a successful renewable transition will only be possible with an open, smart, and future-ready grid.

A few years ago, it was assumed that the grid could absorb the expected renewables. What went wrong?

What failed is that the transformation of the electricity grid did not keep pace with the rollout of renewables. The system was designed for centralised generation, and adapting it to a distributed, bidirectional model requires planning, sustained investment, and deep technological upgrades. There has also been a lack of agility in administrative processes and coordination among stakeholders. All this has led to a mismatch between the speed of renewable project development and the grid’s actual capacity to absorb them.

Does this mean we’ll need to get used to so-called “technical restrictions”?

Technical Restrictions (RRTT) are not new; they are a tool used by Red Eléctrica (REE) to balance generation and demand when there are grid constraints. Traditionally, they cost around €5/MWh, but they recently exceeded €30/MWh, as seen during the 28 April blackout, when SSCC also reached €35/MWh.

Will they stay? Probably yes—but not at those levels. It’s reasonable to expect them to continue as a structural operating mechanism, but their cost and impact should decrease as the grid is reinforced, storage systems are implemented, and flexibility strategies are rolled out.

As an expert in energy consultancy, what strikes you most about the current scenario?

What stands out to me is the speed and depth of the change. We are living through an accelerated energy transformation that is structurally altering how the market functions. Events like the 28 April blackout remind us of the need for technical rigour when analysing what’s happening in the system. Only with a forward-thinking, evidence-based perspective can we guide investments and define solid medium- and long-term energy strategies. It’s a moment of great opportunity—but also of maximum technical and strategic responsibility.

When we talk about the energy transition, we’re also talking about citizen empowerment. Do you think the current process is sufficiently democratised?

Not yet. There has been progress with self-consumption and energy communities, but the process is still too technical, complex, and inaccessible for the general public.

How can we fix that?

We need to simplify procedures, promote energy education, and create clear incentives for collective participation. It’s also crucial to empower local administrations so they can lead local projects with direct territorial impact.

On that note, what role should energy communities play?

Energy communities must play a key role in democratising energy, promoting local development, and enabling distributed generation. At Grupo Trebol Energia, we’ve followed this model closely since Royal Decree-Law 23/2020 was passed, and we’ve participated in several initiatives. However, we must be realistic: currently, they lack specific regulations and operate under photovoltaic self-consumption rules, which severely limits their effective rollout. As a result, we’ve paused this area, awaiting the full regulatory framework that will allow them to operate as true market agents.

Where do you see Catalonia’s energy transition in five years?

In five years, Catalonia will have clearly advanced in renewables, electrification, and efficiency—but the real challenge will be the speed of that progress. Success will depend on our ability to streamline procedures, expand the grid, promote storage, and improve coordination between governments, businesses, and local communities. If bold decisions are taken now, Catalonia can lead an energy transition based on competitiveness, sustainability, and energy sovereignty.