Asturias, Spain - Regional Profile 1
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
ASTURIAS, SPAIN - REGIONAL PROFILE 1 REGIONAL PROFILE Asturias, Spain GENERAL INFORMATION Country: Spain Region Name: Asturias Region NUTS2 code*: ES12 - Principality of Asturias Region NUTS3 code: ES120 - Asturias Main urban centres in the region: Oviedo (population 220,020) Gijón (population 271,843) Avilés (population 78,715) *NUTS: Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics NOTICE ON COVID-19 The data contained within this regional profile was primarily gathered prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is recognised that the pandemic has had an adverse impact on energy demand within the region. Although the consequences and implications are significant, they remain emergent and dynamic. An update to this document should be considered, once these consequences and implications are clearer and more quantifiable. PLATFORM FOR COAL REGIONS IN TRANSITION ASTURIAS, SPAIN - REGIONAL PROFILE 2 Overview Asturias is situated in north-west Spain and has a population of 1.02 million. The region’s coal mining industry was concentrated in the south west and central areas of the region, where the region’s coal power plants are also located. However, only one coal mine remains active. The region is composed of 78 municipalities, of which 57 are severely or directly affected by coal mine closures and the phase out of coal power plants. Most economic activity and SEVERELY AFFECTED MUNICIPALITIES a large part of the population are located in the central DIRECTLY AFFECTED MUNICIPALITIES municipalities of Asturias. INDIRECTLY AFFECTED MUNICIPALITIES Source: Government of the Principality of Asturias, 2020 Regional socio-economic profile Principality of Asturias National Date / Source (NUTS 2) (NUTS 0) Population 2018 1,027,624 46,658,447 [persons] INE Population density 2018 96.6 92.7 [persons/km2] INE Employment 2018Q4 390,600 19,136,300 [No. persons employed] INE Employment rate 2018 63.2 % 67 % [% share of population aged 20-64] INE Unemployment rate 15.3 % 2018 13.6 % [% share of labour force aged 15-74] INE GDP per person 2018 €23,134 €25,100 [€] INE Educational attainment Principality of Asturias National Average % % 43,2 39,9 % 37,2 33,3 % % 23,5 % 22,9 Less than secondary education (levels 0 - 2) Secondary or post-secondary Tertiary education (levels 5 – 8) non-tertiary education (level 3 – 4) PLATFORM FOR COAL REGIONS IN TRANSITION ASTURIAS, SPAIN - REGIONAL PROFILE Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing 1,6% 3,5% 8,5% of which mining and quarrying Industry 15,5% Industry 17,8% 18,2% 23,6% 19,7% Construction accommodation and food services Distributive trades, transport, 5,9% Construction 0,2% accommodation and food services 8,2% Distributive trades, transport, 5,9% Principality ofAsturias Principality ofAsturias Information and communication 7,5% 6,7% Employment bysector Information and communication 23,0% GVA persector 22,9% Financial and insurance activities 21,6% 26,9% Financial and insurance activities 3,2% 2,4% 2,8% 4,1% National Avera National Avera Real estate activities 3,0% 2,3% Real estate activities administrativeProfessional, and supportscientific, services technical, 3,5% 4,3% administrativeProfessional, and supportscientific, services technical, Public administration, defence, education, human Public administration, defence, education, 0,8% ge ge human health and social work activities 1,5% 10,1% 12,9% health and social work activities 5,8% 4,4% 6,6% 9,8% Arts, entertainment and recreation; other services 18,5% Arts, entertainment and 21,3% recreation; other services 18,8% 20,2% 3,9% 3,0% 3,7% 3 5,5% Data / Source: 2018 INE PLATFORM FOR COAL REGIONS IN TRANSITIONData / Source: 2018 INE ASTURIAS, SPAIN - REGIONAL PROFILE 4 General description of the demographic Overview and general and economic profile of the region including notable trends and projections characteristics of coal- Asturias has approximately 1.02 million inhabitants, related industry representing 2.2% of the national population. The 57 municipalities affected by the coal mine closure and phase Asturias has two coal-mining basins, known as the Central out process (see above) have a combined population of Asturian and Western Asturian. Closure of coal mines in over 940 thousand, which represents more than 90% of Asturias is almost complete, with six mines closed at the the regional population. end of 2018 and only one remaining open (Pozo San Nicolás), which is scheduled to close in 2021. The 5 coal- According to a projection study by the National Statistical fired power plants are located in the centre of the region, Office in 2014, the Spanish population is set to decrease in where 80% of the population and most economic activity the coming 15 years by 2.2%, partly due to demographic are concentrated. Coal-fired power generation capacity ageing and a negative natural growth rate (i.e. birth is being phased-out rapidly. By 2021 there may only be rate falling below the mortality rate) as well as a 2 coal-fired generation units in operation or available for negative migratory balance. Asturias is equally affected operation. These remaining units are to be closed by 2030, by population decline and ageing, and the situation is yet earlier closures are possible. Asturias is currently not particularly acute in peripheral communities. Based on the positioned to replace its indigenous coal (and other fossil projected trends, Asturias could register one of the greatest fuel) electricity generation capacity with renewable energy decreases in population in relative terms by 2029 in Spain generation (e.g. wind and solar). This will mean that the (– 8.3%, preceded only by the region Castilla y Leon with region will switch from a net exporter to a net importer -9%). In terms of an ageing population, the dependency of electricity. Imports of electricity will rely on East-West ratio (i.e. ratio between the number of people aged 65 and transmission (e.g. from renewable sources from Galicia) over and the number aged 15–64) is projected to increase and North-South connectivity, which is constrained due to 24.9% by 2029 and to 38.7% by 2064, from 18.2% in to difficult topography and constraints in the construction 2014. of transmission capacity through protected park areas. Significant investments are required to maintain security of Asturias has a relatively low employment rate of 63.2% electricity supply. (in 2018), compared to the national employment rate of 67.0% and the EU average rate of 73.2%. The The decommissioning of regional coal power plants is unemployment rate in Asturias was 14.4% in 2019 (Q3), significant not only from the perspective of electricity compared to the national rate of 13.9% which is among supply but also in terms of the service supplied by the the highest unemployment rates in the European Union at grid – e.g. security and quality of supply – that are of 6.6% (2018). Asturias has also a high youth unemployment importance for the region’s industrial base, much of which rate of 37.3% (of 15 – 24 year olds) in 2018, compared is electro-intensive in nature and dependent on reliable and to the EU average of 15.2%, based on Eurostat. These affordable electricity supplies. The phase out of coal and trends are partly a consequence of different and continuous coal-fired electricity generation will also have significant economic transitions. implications along the whole value chain and for related supply chain and service activities. Notably, it will affect the Asturias has an important economic base of electro- port of Gijon, which is the largest port in Spain for solid bulk intensive industrial processing activities (e.g. steel, zinc, cargoes, including coal and ores, and related transport and aluminium, paper, glass, chemicals). Indigenous companies logistics services, with an estimated 100,000 annual truck have a historically strong connection to the mining and movements to transport coal from ports to power plants. energy sectors in Asturias and have an international orientation - some are also integrated in multinational companies, with decision makers located abroad. Asturias benefits also from a strong agri-food sector, notably in dairy products, meat and drinks. The sector has a high number of small-scale companies, often family-owned (approx. 1,700 according to the Principality of Asturias, 2020). Further important sectors include the forestry and wood products sector and tourism. PLATFORM FOR COAL REGIONS IN TRANSITION ASTURIAS, SPAIN - REGIONAL PROFILE 5 Regional coal industry and coal power plants – recent historic profile Coal mining Date Type of coal Hard coal and 2019 Type of coal extraction Underground anthracite 11 coal mines were operational in 2017 (in 2020 only 1 mine remained Number of coal mines – see text box below) Production of coal 2017 1.2Mt [Mt annual] Main coal mining enterprises Number of Name Ownership Date employees HUNOSA (operator of remaining public 969 mine) CARBONAR private 178 2017 COMPAÑÍA MINERA ASTUR- private 216 LEONESA MINERALES DEL BIERZO private 105 Coal power plants Number of coal power plants 5 Installed capacity [MW] 2,222MW 2017 Share of coal in regional power generation mix [%] 75% Main coal power plant operators Number of Name Ownership Date employees EDP private 366 Iberdrola private 144 2017 Naturgy private 150 HUNOSA public 86 Regional employment in coal mining and coal power plants Share of total regional Employment Number Date employment [%] Coal mining (direct employment) 1468 0.4% Coal power plants (direct 746 0.2% employment) 2017 Other coal-related activities [e.g. supply chain and services to 1540 0.4% coal operations] PLATFORM FOR COAL REGIONS IN TRANSITION ASTURIAS, SPAIN - REGIONAL PROFILE 6 impact across the region. Of the 57 mining municipalities Socio-economic characteristics directly or indirectly impacted by the cessation of coal of coal-related industry mining, 21 municipalities are expected to be severely and directly impacted by the energy transition.