MORE NEW ENERGY IN EU

Share of renewables in new electricity generation capacity continues to rise
6 de Julio de 2010 (Regulacion Eolica con Vehiculos Electricos)

"...[Renewable Energy Snapshots 2010, from] the JRC's Institute for Energy (IE), shows that renewable energy sources accounted for 62% (17 GW) of the new electricity generation capacity installed in the EU27 in 2009. The share rose from 57% in 2008. For the second year running, wind power accounted for the largest share of the new capacity: 10.2 GW out of the 27.5 GW built, representing 38% of the total. In absolute terms, renewables produced 19.9% of Europe's electricity consumption last year.

"If current growth rates are maintained, in 2020 up to 1400 TWh of electricity could be generated from renewable sources, the report concludes. This would account for approximately 35-40% of overall electricity consumption in the EU, depending on the success of community policies on electricity efficiency, and would contribute significantly to the fulfilment of the 20% target for energy generation from renewables."

click to enlarge

"However...some issues need to be resolved if the targets are to be met...[including] ensuring fair access to grids, substantial public R&D support, and the adaptation of current electricity systems to accommodate renewable electricity...[C]ost reduction and accelerated implementation will depend on the production volume and not on time...

"...[I] absolute terms, about 19.9% (608 TWh) of Europe’s total [2009] electricity consumption (3042 TWh) came from renewable energy sources. Hydro power contributed with the largest share (11.6%), followed by wind turbines (4.2%), biomass (3.5%), and solarpower (0.4%)."

click to enlarge

"With regards to the new capacity constructed that same year (27.5 GW), among the renewable sources, 37.1% was wind power, 21% photovoltaics (PV), 2.1% biomass, 1.4% hydro and 0.4% concentrated solar power, whereas the rest were gas fired power stations (24%), coal fired power stations (8.7%), oil (2.1%), waste incineration (1.6%) and nuclear (1.6%)...

"...[W]ith more than 74 GW of total installed capacity in 2009...[wind now] aims for 230 GW of installed capacity (40 GW wind farm offshore) by 2020... [I]f current growth continues, electricity output from biomass could double from 2008 to 2010 (from 108 TWh to 200 TWh)...Concentrating Solar Power (CSP)...installed capacity is still relatively small in Europe [with] 0.430 GW in May 2010...[S]ince 2003, the total installed [solar PV] capacity has doubled each year. In 2009 it reached 16 GW, which represents 2% of the overall capacity...[T]echnologies such as geothermal, tidal and wave power are still at the R&D stage..."