María Jesús Lorenzana Somoza (A Coruña, 1981). Graduated in Law, she has a clearly technical profile. From 2011 to 2018 he headed several general secretariats in the Xunta. In 2020 she came to the fore as head of Employment and Equality, and in 2023 she was named Regional Minister of Economy, Industry and Innovation. He wasn’t scared of the change. Accustomed to negotiating with the business community and social dialogue agents, she believes that the region is a great power in renewable energy. Commit to a rich Galicia with strong industrial development that is respectful and compatible with the Environment. The person responsible for the new green plan denounces the inaction of the central government to order renewable deployment and does not conceive of the industry law being approved in isolation from energy policy.
He has been at the head of the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Innovation for just one year and six months after three years in the Department of Employment and Equality. What balance do you make of this change of cycle?
For me it has been a challenge, of course….although it is true that Economy is closely linked to Employment and the experience in this department already gives me certain background in my current position because in the end dealing with social dialogue, The Confederation of Entrepreneurs, the unions, is there. Galicia has important options to stand out taking into account the current situation of decarbonization. It is a department that demands challenges and responsibilities, but also offers many possibilities to do things for Galicia. My balance is one of responsibility, of working thinking about the opportunities we have, and what can be done for this land and its people.
Of all the open fronts in the Galician industrial panorama, which one takes away the most hours of sleep?
(Laughs)….In general, something that affects all current problems and that hinders the calm, thoughtful, and responsible work that we are doing by the Xunta de Galicia in collaboration with the entire business community and the representatives of workers in social dialogue is the little collaboration that exists on the part of the opposition on issues that I consider to be state issues. I believe that the opposition is not working in a constructive manner, especially by the Galician Nationalist Bloc (BNG) and that this generates a slowdown in industrial projects.
Does BNG make more pupa than PSdeG?
The PSdeG is absolutely subordinate to the BNG. That is the great misfortune we have right now. Some days the socialist party is behind what Madrid says, and others, with the nationalist formation. If we are characterized by something as the Popular Party of Galicia, it is that with a common ideology and loyal to the party, in each territory we try to make our own policy. Feijóo did it and now Rueda is doing it. We don’t really know what the opposition thinks, whether or not they defend industrial development. What is clear is that the BNG wants a poorer Galicia, without industrial development. It is the ‘NO’ Block….the ‘BLOCK’… that does not offer any alternative. Furthermore, they are contradictory in what they say. They want decarbonization and green energy but without wind projects and so it is complicated. Here we have a very disloyal opposition with the Galicians.
Do you think that the Galicia brand as an investment territory could be threatened?
Totally…that impacts our seal when it comes to attracting investments. We are a business-friendly region. We are a government that believes that we must collaborate with those who create wealth. The company is not an enemy. However, we fear such unconstructive opposition that may be scaring away foreign investments because they perceive a social-political reactivity on the part of the opposition, and even that our businessmen may get tired when there is a solid business base in the community.
The good news for the Stellantis plant in Zaragoza contrasts with the silence that prevails around the plans at the Vigo factory. What did the meeting with Stellantis that you attended with the president of the Xunta reveal?
The Aragón project does not replace that of Galicia, it is welcome, in fact it will have an impact here since the electric batteries that are going to be manufactured will be used for the cars and vans that are made in the community. We are concerned that right now there is a total change at the top of Stellantis and there is uncertainty. It is important to highlight that the factory has a lot of value for the group, it is the most productive in Europe and the support that the Xunta has given it so that they could continue investing is also very important. As of today, we are not informed that there is a change in the plans planned for the community.
Are you referring to the STLA SMALL platform project?
Yes, to the implementation of the electrical platform in the Vigo factory on which the future Peugeot 2008 will be produced in System 1. We have been informed by the company that there are no changes in the planned investments. You have to wait for decisions to be made. The important thing is that the help they have in Perte is maintained and implemented and that the factory continues the planned line of work. That the entire value chain maintains the investments planned for Vigo and purchases from suppliers and auxiliary companies.
Since the approval of the Natural Resources Law, the wind farm employers insist that the repowering of the parks causes legal uncertainty and continues to demand aid to renew their windmills…
There was an evolution there because the sector came forward to speak before knowing the measures. There is no legal collision. Nor is the price of electricity set, therefore, the market is not intervened and the only thing that is being done is to force 50% of the energy produced by the new wind and hydraulic projects to agree to an agreement to supply the electricity. to a Galician company or industry. The price is set by the parties and the type of agreement through a long-term power purchase and sale contract (PPA).
What was the basis for deciding that there will be no massive aid to renovate the mills?
The time it takes for a wind farm to pay off the initial investment is around 6-7 years. From there everything is profit. We are forcing the parks to be repowered after 25 years, and in some cases it is extended to 30, so it seems difficult to understand where the difficulty of the operation is seen. In addition, all companies are having to make investments to decarbonize. Public support must be directed responsibly towards those companies with the most difficulties in investing.
From the Central Government they criticize the wind industry in Galicia and accuse them of violating European law…
It strikes me that after the Xunta approved this measure in Galicia, Pedro Sánchez proposed to force renewable companies by law to transfer 20 percent of their wind and solar parks to neighbors and city councils. They are copying us, and what’s more, they are not taking the step, which is the fundamental thing we have done, of linking it to the industry, an aspect that I most criticize about the recent Industry law approved by the Council of Ministers. There is a total disconnection between industry and energy when it is essential to lower the costs of industries.
What is the status of the development of offshore wind power?
The Ministry of Ecological Transition is the one who has to process the procedure until it is authorized and it is going very slowly. It is not coherent. Before leaving, Teresa Ribera modified the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan and set the goal of reaching 3 GW in 2030 of offshore wind energy. The areas have already been regulated and now the auctions remain to be held. Furthermore, we believe that the fishing sector, which is affected, has not been taken into account. We asked that this regulation provide for economic compensation for fishermen and that more valuation be given based on social criteria and the impact of value on the territory and this has not been the case.
Regarding Altri, is there progress to clear up doubts about whether or not the textile fiber plant in Palas (Lugo) will be a reality?
I always say that from an industrial point of view we are clear that it is an important project that closes the transformation cycle of wood in Galicia. Taking into account that more than half of the wood is exported, it would allow a part of it to stay, be transformed and generate employment in the community. Regarding the environmental part, I repeat, there is nothing to judge until the environmental impact statement is issued. Regarding the project, we neither defend it nor stop defending it from an environmental point of view. That is a technical question. We only ask that you not be misinformed. I think it is imprudent to be talking about it when the technicians themselves have not yet determined whether it is viable or not. Everything else is intoxicating.
Is there a date for the 19th Alcoa follow-up meeting, which was postponed on the 5th by the central government and is already six months late?
No, what is happening is inconceivable. Alcoa’s viability fundamentally depends on having competitive electricity prices and involves a series of CO2 compensation aid from the central government that is currently ridiculous for the industry’s costs. In Galicia, the industry is stopping production because it does not have resources. Added to this is the stagnation of the wind farms dependent on the Ministry that are without authorization because the access and connection permits to the networks were dropped. The Ministry said it would solve it in a month and since then almost a year has passed. Alcoa has a serious problem caused by the Department of Energy, which is why we claim that only Industry cannot sit at the table because energy is not their responsibility. It is essential to create an energy policy linked to the industry.
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