Urban Planning, Ecological Transition, Urban Services and Housing

Energy efficiency and air quality determine also the quality of public space. Barcelona wants to contribute to the fight against climate change by improving energy efficiency and reducing dependence on fossil fuels and greenhouse gases emissions. That is the reason why the city promotes renewable energy and encourages improving the environmental quality of the urban environment, focusing on areas such as noise, lighting or air quality.

Energy and the way it is planned in Barcelona is defined by two adjectives: dense and Mediterranean. The 'Mediterranean-ness' and its mild climate make life easier in terms of consumption intended for heating and cooling. Density is an advantage which enables to distribute every used kWh among more people than in other cities. That is why Barcelona has a moderate energy consumption compared to other conurbations.

The city currently consumes about 17,000 GWh year, of which 370 (2.17%) is already produced with renewable energy (solar energy and miniwind turbines among others) and waste-to-energy. In order to reduce the overall consumption, the City Council ensures reducing Barcelona energy dependence from abroad, and encourages local generation, renewable energy and networking. That is, working towards energy self-sufficiency.

The aim is to improve efficiency and reduce emissions of greenhouse gas and other pollutants having a local effect. The city currently generates (within the municipality itself and around Besós river) 5,280 GWh/year of electricity,  which represents 68% of the consumed electricity. The challenge is to make this 68% to be as much as renewable as possible.

Measures to promote renewable energy and energy saving

The City Council promotes several measures to generate local energy and energy saving in equipment and public facilities in the city. These measures include from solar energy systems in buildings (sports facilities, social housing, local offices, etc.) to distribution hot-cold networks within the city (Districlima Ecoenergia Barcelona) miniwind facilities, lighting autonomous and self-sufficient city lighting, use of biomass or geothermal energy etc.

Wind and solar power from rooftops

Citizens interested in energy saving have a line of action based on the use of wind and sun as natural resources. Apart from the promotion of solar energy in homes along with the adoption of the solar ordinance 15 years ago, in 2015 measures for using wind power in the context of the “Pla Estratègic de l’energia minieòlica a Barcelona. El vent, un recurs energètic per la ciutat” ("Strategic Plan for mini wind energy in Barcelona. Wind as an energy resource within the city") in 2015. On the one hand, citizens can see on a map which are the available energy resources on their roofs for both solar energy (thermal and photovoltaic) and mini wind energy. With this initial information, public can take a decision on getting this kind of facility in order to meet its energy needs

On the other hand, the Virtual Energy Advisor provides tools to know citizens’ consumption and proposes measures to reduce it.  It offers personalised information based on data regarding citizens’ energy consumption and the information of their home they wants to provide.