Felipe Carrasco (Ontinyent, 1970) is in favor of renewable deployment, but without turning his back on the municipalities and without acting by imposition. The regional secretary criticizes the blockade of photovoltaic development during the Botànic’s eight years and warns of the risk of closing Cofrentes without a clean and economical alternative to nuclear energy, which generates 45% of the electricity produced in the Valencian Community.
What does the expansion of the port mean for the industry?
It’s fundamental. This same week, a multinational that has been in the Ribera for 50 years told us that without the expansion they would have had to look for new locations because logistics is very important. In such a globalized world, having a port with such intense solidity nearby is a competitive advantage for the industry. If we want to have a leading industry, we need a strong port and we are going to have this with the expansion. The industry is going to get stronger.
There is nervousness among the staff Ford Almussafes for your future. Is in danger?
The automobile sector is in a process of change worldwide. Electrification is a reality, but the pace at which consumers are joining is much slower than expected, so development throughout the industry has been delayed. What the company tells us is that there are no reasons for concern and we have to trust that message. We know that enormous efforts are being made so that the continuity of Ford in the Valencian Community does not depend only on electrification [con modelos alternativos durante la transición como ha anunciado la firma esta semana]. And we know, as I said, that there is an interest on the part of the brand itself so that the Valencian Community continues to have Ford as its flagship industry in the automotive industry.
Wayne Griffiths, CEO of Seat and Cupra, has been calling for the acceleration of the installation of charging points for months and the previous head of the Consell, Ximo Puig, he promised to do so. Are they going to undertake that deployment?
We are talking to different car manufacturing companies so that a pilot plan can be applied in the Valencian Community to increase the number of electric car charging points. We trust that this will be a turning point for the Valencian Community to really begin to grow compared to other autonomous communities in the implementation of electric charging points.
The electricity companies and other promoters of electric stations denounce that there is an excess of bureaucracy and that it takes up to two or three years to obtain the permit. What’s happening?
The thing is that there are several administrations. When there are several administrations involved, everything is delayed more. We are analyzing right now the points that depend on local administrations. We are going to try to speed them up.
Another problem linked to excess bureaucracy is renewables. How are they going to unblock their deployment?
First, trying to reach agreements between all administrations. That is to say, here there is also an implication of the local [los ayuntamientos] with the autonomous and with the state. From our point of view, it is essential that agreements be reached with the city councils. Renewables cannot be implemented just because. Of course, our government is fully committed to the development of renewables, but from the consensus of all public administrations and actors in the territory. That is fundamental. There are other autonomies that have improved their legislative framework based on respect for the environment and the consensus of the administrations.
The debate on the extension of nuclear weapons is heating up. Are you in favor of extending the useful life of Cofrentes?
Cofrentes generates 45% of the energy produced by the Valencian Community. What we are in favor of is decarbonization and for that we are promoting renewable energies, especially where we are most behind, which is in solar energy. But we are also going to launch the wind plan. And we are already working on other vectors such as biogas and especially green hydrogen. But, as long as there is no clean alternative [Cofrentes no emite CO2] We are in favor of it continuing to operate.
But do you see it as feasible to close Cofrentes in year 30 or are you in favor of an extension?
I would like to think so, but if we do not have energy sovereignty it will be impossible. And this comes above all because in the last eight years we have fallen behind in the development of sustainable green energies. If we had done our homework, if the previous government had done our homework, we would be closer to that energy sovereignty. Therefore, we would be closer to replacing nuclear energy with sustainable energy.