1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,000 Barcelona has on average 2,800 hours of sunshine every year. 2 00:00:05,000 --> 00:00:11,000 At the start of the new century, the city administration decided to make the most of this major energy advantage 3 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:16,000 and become the first European city with bylaws to promote the use of solar thermal energy. 4 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:20,000 Since then, the city has developed an overall strategy for sustainable energy, 5 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:24,000 a great illustration of the new Sustainable Energy for Europe campaign. 6 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:29,000 An example of this overall strategy is the Sustainability Barcelona 2004 project, 7 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:34,000 which won an award for best urban development project during a previous campaign. 8 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:42,000 Now the new European campaign for 2005 to 2008 is inviting others to take inspiration from the Catalan capital 9 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:45,000 with its intelligent use and production of energy. 10 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:52,000 For the last five years we've had a solar thermal energy bylaw. 11 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:57,000 It's a regulation which insists on the incorporation of solar thermal energy in all new buildings 12 00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:00,000 as well as those being comprehensively renovated. 13 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:09,000 To manage this overall policy, the administration turned to the Barcelona Energy Agency, 14 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:12,000 a consortium made up of a number of local institutions 15 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:16,000 directly involved in sustainable energy and environmental management. 16 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:22,000 To promote solar energy in the city of Barcelona, 17 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:27,000 the energy agency is supporting both solar photovoltaic and solar thermal energy. 18 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:30,000 First of all, the municipal agency is leading by example 19 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:34,000 in that all municipal buildings are equipped with solar receptors. 20 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:39,000 Secondly, the agency is available to advise anyone who wants to use this sort of energy. 21 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:44,000 And lastly, we get the word out to individuals, organizations and associations 22 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:47,000 so that they can do their bit to promote solar energy. 23 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:56,000 Since the solar regulation came into force, 24 00:01:56,000 --> 00:02:01,000 the fitting of solar thermal installations has increased by 1400%. 25 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:05,000 The bylaw states that all social housing in Barcelona must use solar power. 26 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:08,000 Pilar Blanco lives in social housing in the city centre. 27 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:12,000 Solar energy provides most of her hot water requirements. 28 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:18,000 I use solar energy for everything. 29 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:20,000 This is real progress. 30 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:24,000 For washing vegetables, washing fruit too, 31 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:29,000 for potatoes, for washing up, for cooking. 32 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:33,000 It saves time and for people who work it's a fast system 33 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:36,000 and it's a real savings as you don't use electricity. 34 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:47,000 100% of Pilar's hot water requirements are met in the summer. 35 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:50,000 In winter she has to rely partially on electricity. 36 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:54,000 At that time of year the solar installations cover 40% of her needs. 37 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:58,000 This considerable energy contribution is provided through the receptors 38 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:01,000 positioned on the terrace of her apartment block. 39 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:07,000 When the temperature of the hot water inside the homes 40 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:11,000 is lower than the temperature that we have in the receptors, 41 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:15,000 a pump starts up which sends the water into the apartments. 42 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:21,000 It's important to distinguish between solar thermal systems 43 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:23,000 and solar photovoltaic systems. 44 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:27,000 The first are used to heat water, the second to generate electricity. 45 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:30,000 Photovoltaic systems are normally connected to the grid 46 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:33,000 and in Spain, just as with hydroelectricity or wind power, 47 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:36,000 the energy produced is sold to electricity companies 48 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:39,000 at a higher price than non-renewable electricity. 49 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:44,000 To promote its use, the city has built a new system 50 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:48,000 To promote its use, the city has built one of the largest 51 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:51,000 urban power stations in Europe, the solar pergola. 52 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:55,000 Overlooking the sea, it's 112 meters long, 50 meters wide. 53 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:58,000 It works on the principle that photovoltaic cells 54 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:01,000 are able to convert the photons in rays from the sun 55 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:03,000 into electrical tension. 56 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:08,000 How is it done? 57 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:13,000 Well, there are a number of very small cells inside this photovoltaic panel 58 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:16,000 which, because of the materials they're made from, 59 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:19,000 these components are stimulated electronically 60 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:21,000 and that produces a current. 61 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:24,000 A current which at the moment is a continuous current 62 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:26,000 equivalent to a battery. 63 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:30,000 One or two volts for each of the photovoltaic cells. 64 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:37,000 Alongside the large pergola, there are two other smaller 65 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:41,000 pergola-shaped structures, also covered in photovoltaic solar panels. 66 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:45,000 In all, enough electricity is generated to supply around 1,000 homes. 67 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:50,000 These three energy generators are the centerpieces of a new district 68 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:52,000 known as the Barcelona Forum, 69 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:55,000 a totally renovated urban zone of around 100 hectares 70 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:58,000 which integrates both clean energy production 71 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:00,000 and intelligent energy use. 72 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:05,000 We've created an urban network which provides hot water, 73 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:07,000 heating and cooling, 74 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:12,000 all from the residual heat from the municipal waste treatment plant. 75 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:17,000 The result is that all the buildings in this new area, 76 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:21,000 all the public buildings, are heated and cooled by this plant. 77 00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:28,000 Let's take another example of the promotion of photovoltaic energy, 78 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:30,000 this time from the private sector. 79 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:33,000 On the outskirts of Barcelona, in Esplugues de l'Obregat, 80 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:36,000 the Imagina TV studios have a semi-transparent roof 81 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:38,000 of around 1,000 square meters. 82 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:42,000 This is a novel architectural and engineering approach 83 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:46,000 to not use solar panels but instead integrating silicon sheets 84 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:49,000 in the shell of the building by means of double glazing. 85 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:53,000 This covers the restaurant, the patio and the top storey offices. 86 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:59,000 Here we've tried to use one single element which is effective 87 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:03,000 but, much more interestingly, has different functions. 88 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:06,000 It's watertight, airtight, transparent. 89 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:09,000 It filters light, transforms excess light into energy 90 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:13,000 and even conditions the air through this sort of air chamber 91 00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:17,000 which functions as an evacuation channel 92 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:22,000 to evacuate the excess energy which accumulates in the solar panels. 93 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:33,000 There are many examples of buildings using solar photovoltaic energy 94 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:36,000 in this integrated way in the Barcelona region. 95 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:38,000 Take, for instance, the library in Mataró. 96 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:41,000 A real commitment has been made to use this kind of energy 97 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:44,000 in an urban environment in the Catalan capital, 98 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:46,000 even though the production of photovoltaic elements 99 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:50,000 involves state-of-the-art technology which does not come cheap. 100 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:55,000 One particular point to remember when considering solar photovoltaic energy 101 00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:57,000 is that we're looking at something long-term. 102 00:06:57,000 --> 00:06:59,000 There's no point in looking at short-term costs. 103 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:03,000 You must consider its viability from a perspective of 10, 15 or 20 years, 104 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:06,000 just as we have to do with sustainable development. 105 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:08,000 It's no use just looking at the instant benefits 106 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:11,000 but rather the long-term benefits. 107 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:14,000 In Europe, energy consumption is increasing. 108 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:17,000 Our dependence on fossil fuel with its mounting cost 109 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:21,000 is having a big impact on our economy and on the environment. 110 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:24,000 Sustainable solutions such as the use of renewable energy 111 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:27,000 and energy saving are vital. 112 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:33,000 We have a 10-year energy plan from 2002 to 2012. 113 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:38,000 The aim is to reverse current trends and reduce energy consumption by 17%, 114 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:43,000 as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20%. 115 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:46,000 There are 56 programmes in this plan, 116 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:50,000 which range from transport to waste disposal, 117 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:54,000 including buildings and policies to reduce household energy consumption, 118 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:58,000 while also increasing awareness among citizens. 119 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:02,000 The efforts of Barcelona and other cities and towns 120 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:05,000 committed to a policy of sustainable development 121 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:08,000 are encouraged and supported by the European Commission 122 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:13,000 through its campaign Sustainable Energy for Europe 2005-2008, 123 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:16,000 a campaign which aims to persuade political decision-makers, 124 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:19,000 public and private investors and European citizens 125 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:23,000 to invest in renewable energy and energy efficiency 126 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:28,000 and to manage energy in an intelligent and sustainable way.