The Spanish government approved on August 26, a 2005-2010 Renewable Energy Plan that envisages renewable energy sources accounting for 12% of total electricity generation in 2010, Deputy Prime Minister Maria Teresa Fernandez said. The government expects the plan to involve total investment of 23.6 billion euros (US$29 billion), of which 77.1% was to be covered by power companies, 20% by banks, real-estate developers and technology groups, and 2.9% by public aid.
Efforts would be made to increase electrical production from biomass sources such as the combustion of vegetable residue, and solar energy, which is relatively undeveloped in Spain despite its abundant sunshine.
Electricity generated by wind power, an area where Spain is among the world leaders, was to increase from 13,000 megawatts at present to 20,155 MW by 2010. In the U.S., one MW of wind power generates about as much electricity as 240-300 homes use, according to the American Wind Energy Association, though it cautions against establishing strict comparisons and notes that wind cannot be the only power source for most households without some form of storage system.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2005
