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Spain Will Eventually Become Entirely Driven by 100pc Renewable Energy

  • Publish Date: Posted about 8 years ago

The boss of one of the biggest power corporations in Spain has predicted that the country will eventually be powered entirely from renewable energy. Already, around 29 million homes are being powered by wind power.

Miguel Ezpleta, who is the CEO of Acciona, said that predicting future trends for green energy was vital, and that he saw a future for Spain where the entire country was powered by renewable sources such as wind and solar.

His firm already monitors over 9,500 global turbines from its Pamplona HQ and recorded a new high last November, when 70pc of Spain's energy was provided solely from wind power. Spain is working hard to invest in its green energy revolution, as it has no natural gas or oil deposits and is seeking to become energy self-reliant and reduce its need for overseas imports.

As part of its EU targets, it is obliged to meet 20pc of its total power needs with renewables by 2020, and it is currently standing at 17.4pc. However, critics have noted that energy is still particularly expensive overall in Spain, with prices rocketing by 60pc in the last six years alone. Acciona believes that the soaring cost of Spanish energy can be tackled with better management, citing examples in Europe where similar issues have been overcome.

Spain does have one key asset in its favour, however, and that is a robust and reliable electrical system which can cope with heavy loads and extreme weather conditions.

Its green energy adoption achievements to date contrast with UK figures, with Britain looking likely to fail its 15pc renewables target by 2020. The government has been called upon to urgently review policies and ensure that the UK can legitimately remain a global leader in renewable energy.