• The Energy Barometer is the annual opinion survey conducted by the Catalan Energy Cluster, targeting over 230 associated organizations and companies. It examines current issues in the energy sector.
  • The sector shows optimism, with 72.7% of respondents considering the economic situation of the sector to be “good.”
  • However, 44.1% of those surveyed identify bureaucracy and delays in project approvals as the main barriers to advancing the energy transition in Catalonia.

Companies and organizations in the energy and energy efficiency sectors remain optimistic about the economic outlook, both in the present and immediate future. This is one of the main conclusions of the latest 2024 Energy Barometer, an opinion survey conducted by the Catalan Energy Cluster, targeting over 230 associated companies and entities within the energy ecosystem. The survey, carried out between November 7 and 29, addresses current issues related to the energy transition, including project approval processes, the state of the energy market, the economic performance of organizations within the sector, and their investment forecasts in innovation.

A significant 72.7% of the surveyed companies and entities believe the economic situation of the sector is “good” or “very good.” When asked about economic forecasts for the next year, 35% anticipate improvement in the sector’s economy. This sentiment remains consistent when the survey focuses on individual organizations, with 55.8% of respondents reporting that their organization’s economic situation is better than a year ago, and 62.3% expecting further improvement in 2025.

Optimism is also reflected in sales projections: 78% of respondents believe their sales will increase in the coming year, with 44.2% expecting growth exceeding 10%. Regarding employment, 58.4% anticipate an increase in their workforce, with 29.8% predicting growth above 10%.

Excessive Bureaucracy: The Main Obstacle to the Energy Transition

Administrative barriers in project approval processes, including excessive bureaucracy, are viewed as the primary hurdle to advancing the energy transition in Catalonia, according to survey results. In total, 26.6% of the organizations surveyed believe that slow project approvals represent the most significant challenge to achieving an energy model transition in Catalonia. Political management, cited by 20%, and regulatory frameworks, cited by 10.6%, complete the list of key obstacles for companies and organizations in the sector.

The survey also highlights negative assessments of the government’s role in managing the energy transition over the past year. Nearly half of the respondents (48%) disapprove of the executive’s performance, while 52% give a favorable evaluation. Regarding the current state of the energy transition in Catalonia, 70.1% describe it as “poor” or “very poor,” in a context marked by a decline in investments in self-consumption initiatives.

In this context, the study also explores measures deemed necessary to expedite project approvals, noting that Catalonia lags behind other regions in renewable energy development. The majority – 83.1% – believe that simplifying approval procedures is a “priority” to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy projects, followed by fostering social awareness (42.9%) and reducing the number of stakeholders involved in approval processes (36.7%).

Battery Storage: The Technology with the Most Potential

Finally, the 2024 Energy Barometer delves into the field of innovation, asking respondents about the technologies expected to shape the sector’s future. A majority (75.3%) identify battery storage as the technology with the greatest potential, followed by artificial intelligence (59.7%), hydrogen (37.66%), and biogas (27.2%).

In terms of investment in R&D&I, 39% report an increase over the past year, with 19.5% noting growth above 10%, while 59.7% believe investment levels have remained unchanged. Looking ahead to 2025, respondents are more optimistic, with 41.6% predicting increased investment in innovation and 20.8% expecting growth above 10%.

For more information about the 2024 Energy Barometer, you can contact the Catalan Energy Cluster at comunicacio@clusterenergia.cat or call +34 633 777 126.