(ABC, by R. M., May 14, 2026)
The BBVA-IVIE report “Adaptación de la industria española al escenario energético” highlights how energy costs represent a factor of structural vulnerability for the Spanish industry, a large energy consumer, which despite a 9.7% reduction in energy cost per unit of added value between 2008 and 2020, remains significantly behind competitors such as Germany (-32%) and Portugal (-42%), compromising its international competitiveness in a context of price volatility and geopolitical tensions.
Only four sectors – metallurgy, chemical/petrochemical, non-metallic mineral products, and paper – have achieved real improvements in energy efficiency, yet they accounted for 66% of manufacturing consumption in 2024, while in some segments such as non-metallic minerals (cement, ceramics, glass) the energy bill reaches 12% of operating costs compared to an industrial average of 3.6%.
Much of the decline in energy intensity in Spain does not come from real technical progress but from a structural effect, that is, a shift towards less energy-intensive activities, with a concrete risk of loss of industrial capacity in strategic sectors and no concrete solution on the horizon to ease the burden on large consumers.
Energy costs, structural vulnerability.
“Energy cost is a factor of structural vulnerability that directly affects the competitiveness of the Spanish industry, especially in a context of price volatility and geopolitical tensions.”
Reduction lower than European rivals.
“Spain reduced its energy cost per unit of added value by 9.7% between 2008 and 2020. However, the difference – to its disadvantage – with some competing markets is significant. This improvement is clearly lower than that of European partners such as Germany (-32%) or Portugal (-42%).”
Only four sectors improve efficiency.
“Only four industrial branches – metallurgy, chemical/petrochemical, non-metallic mineral products, and paper – have achieved efficiency improvements in their processes that allow them to reduce energy consumption and, in this way, increase their competitiveness.”
False improvement due to structural effect.
“The big problem is the false improvement due to structural effect; that is, much of the reduction in energy intensity in Spain is not due to technical efficiency improvements, but to a shift towards less energy-intensive activities.”
Weight of the energy bill in energy-intensive sectors.
“For sectors such as non-metallic minerals (cement, ceramics, glass), the energy bill reaches 12% of their operating expenses, compared to an industrial average of 3.6%.”
(Excerpt from the newsletter by Giuseppe Liturri)
