España y la seguridad energética gasística de la Unión Europea en 2024: un acercamiento a las posibilidades de aminorar la dependencia de Rusia

Abstract

The invasion of Ukrainian territory has triggered alarms regarding the European Union's appreciation of Russia. What was once considered a reliable partner for the supply of energy, mainly gas, is today recognized as a source of concern and danger for the community block, due to the capacity of its energy complex to influence and condition the security of Brussels. Faced with such a scenario, it becomes pertinent to search for alternatives that allow the European Union to diversify its supply bases and thus reduce its asymmetric situation with Moscow and, in the face of this panorama, Spain stands as a notable option to achieve this goal.

The objective of this work is to describe the conditions that Spain has to contribute to reducing the gas energy dependence of the European Union with respect to Russia. To this end, a historical overview of the Spanish gas sector is developed to subsequently explain the conditions that make Spain a country with the potential to become a notable gas hub for the bloc. Finally, the conditions that prevent Spain from being able to optimally exploit all its potential are addressed.