Gib making inroads on renewables but still ‘nowhere near’ where it should be

Today, April 22, is World Earth Day a celebration that commenced in 1970 and this year is themed ‘Our Power Our Planet’, encouraging a rapid shift from fossil fuels to sustainable energy sources to ensure long-term stability.

Underpinning this year’s theme is recognition of a need to accelerate the global transition to renewable energy and empowering communities to defend environmental protections through civic engagement and grassroots action.

An environmentalist long before he was a politician, the Minister for Environment, Dr John Cortes spoke to the Chronicle about renewable energy on the Rock.

Gibraltar is “nowhere near where we should be” on renewable energy despite recent progress and new projects coming online, Dr Cortes told the Chronicle.

He added that Gibraltar was “a lot further along the route than we have ever been” but warned that both practical constraints and hesitancy among householders and industry were slowing the transition.

“I think we’ve got to do a lot more,” he said.

“We’ve got a lot planned. But I think there’s some kind of resistance, hesitation, particularly in people wanting to install renewable energy,” he added, talking about solar particularly.

He noted that Gibraltar is not like other countries such as the UK, where homeowners can have photovoltaic panels installed “within a week or two” by a range of competing suppliers. That model does not easily translate to Gibraltar’s housing stock, he added.

“Clearly in Gibraltar we don’t have so many people with their own roofs, because a lot of our community live in blocks,” he said.

“So it’s not that easy, and I think we are a little bit behind from where we should be, although we are making huge inroads.”

Dr Cortes feels that today’s ongoing oil crisis is a catalyst that could drive more investment in renewable energy and highlighted the example of countries in northern Europe and neighbouring Spain.

“Those countries who have invested a lot in renewable energies are showing that that is a buffer against what the shortage of oil can bring,” he said.

However, Gibraltar faces its own particular challenges, not only due to its size but also due to the number of migratory birds that fly over the Rock twice a year.

As a result, large scale onshore wind turbines are effectively ruled out.

“We don’t have a lot of space, and therefore large wind generators are just simply not possible, apart from the fact that we are on a main migratory route and they can impact on migratory birds,” he said.

Instead, the government is exploring alternative technologies, including offshore wind and vertical axis wind generators at smaller scale.

Pilot work is under way to identify suitable sites for a wind tower to collect data and assess feasibility.

“We’re hoping to commission a wind tower, which will test the wind and we’ll see whether they are viable locations for vertical axis wind generators,” he said.

Feasibility studies on offshore wind are also being pursued, though any such project is seen as a long-term prospect.

“That is quite a way into the future, because they are hugely complicated in installing them, and we have to be really, really sure that they’re going to be efficient,” he added.

As for wave power, previous pilot studies on marine currents showed that local conditions and the technology available at the time did not make that option a viable one.

Where Gibraltar is now focusing most effort is on solar power.

A significant PV panels project is planned in and around the airfield.

“There is one project which is ongoing in the surroundings of the airfield, which is going to produce quite a lot of solar energy,” he said.

He said all relevant studies had been completed for the airport scheme, with works expected to move forward “quite soon”.

Given the Rock’s limited space and environmental sensitivities, the Government is aiming for, and encouraging, solar panels on rooftops and car parks, rather than sacrificing green areas.

“We are not going to remove any of our important natural habitats in order to have solar panels,” said Dr Cortes.

“But there are rooftops, there are car parks, and we’ve already proved that it can be done, and we have plans to take this further very soon.”

Over the next 12 months, he said, Gibraltar should see “considerable investment” in solar energy.

Solar has also become standard in new developments, including new infrastructure such as wastewater management facilities planned for Europa Point.

Dr Cortes pointed to near-zero energy building legislation, which now makes both renewable generation and energy efficiency mandatory features in new projects.

As a member of the Development and Planning Commission, he said this is noted in most applications being discussed when applicable.

“It is now standard, and everybody knows that they’re expected to produce solar energy. It’s part of our legislation,” he said.

“We’ve legislated extensively. We’ve got our near zero energy building legislation, which means that they have to provide not just renewable energy, but also energy efficiency, because that’s part of the same continuum.”

He said the private sector was increasingly embracing the shift.

“I am very encouraged to see [that] the private sector now is picking up and is realising that this is the way forward,” he added.

Gibraltar’s obligations under the new EU/UK treaty arrangements will mean it has to maintain alignment with EU environmental law.

This, Dr Cortes said, would ensure that pressure for cleaner energy and efficiency continued in future administrations.

While many residents live in apartment blocks and cannot install their own panels, some estates can and some already have.

However, for those without direct access to solar, Dr Cortes emphasised the importance of reducing consumption.

“Clearly we need to conserve power. The more power we generate, the more emissions there are. Our carbon footprint increases, but also so the cost,” he said.

He urged households to adopt simple daily habits to cut waste.

“If you don’t use electricity, you’re not going to have to pay for it,” he noted.

“Switch off the lights, switch off the television, that sort of thing. Little things that all add up. And by the end of the month, you reduce your electricity bill, and you’re helping the environment.”

A word from some of the Rock’s NGOs on World Earth Day

“Investing in our planet is the only investment with a guaranteed future. On Earth Day 2026, let’s commit to leaving the world a little greener than we found it. Every tree planted and every plastic bottle saved, counts towards this goal.”… The Nautilus Project.

As World Earth Day arrives, we are reminded of our role in helping protect this beautiful planet we inhabit.

The ESG has always believed in taking local action for a global impact and signing up to Clean up the World, back in 2005, provided us with such a goal when annually, millions around the world clean/green up and protect their environment.

This year, the Clean-up will take place on the 20th September and we invite those interested in helping to please register at email esg@gibtelecom.net.

The group is also hopeful about the opportunity the Treaty can give to tackle significant, regional environmental issues, together with like-minded NGOs in Gibraltar and Spain, as we have done in the past… ESG