Spain's hits 38% renewables consumption in 2011

SPAIN: Spanish renewables generation over the first two months of 2011 covered 38% of national consumption, with wind producing nearly half of this, according to statistics from grid operator Red Eléctrica de España (REE).

by Michael McGovern 10 March 2011

Spain's wind energy generation was helped by projects such as the Cova da Serpe wind park close to the city of Lugo

The figure is just two percentage points behind the EU’s binding target for the country by 2020, set at 40%. It is also exactly double the penetration achieved by nuclear power and just short of doubling top-dog generator, combined cycle gas, which covered 21%

Combined small and large hydro production topped the penetration chart for renewables at 19% over January and February, closely followed by wind, at 17%

The wind figure is nearly half a percentage point up on its 16.5% penetration level over the whole of 2010, which consolidated that technology as the third main generator in Spain behind gas (30.4%) and nuclear (20%). The Spanish government is targeting 20.8% wind penetration by 2020.

National wind association Asociación Empresarial Eólica (AEE) sees growing penetration as proof of what it calls the sector’s "world class grid integration technologies".