Over the first eight months of this year, Spain averaged an impressive 47.2 percent renewable energy share in its generation mix. The achievement was reported by Spanish electricity transmission system operator, Red Electrica de Espana (REE).
Breaking down the renewable share reveals Spain to have developed a strong mix of renewable generating capacity: wind power (21.8 percent), hydroelectric (17.8 percent), solar PV (3.4 percent), solar thermal (2.4 percent), other (1.8 percent).
The remaining 52.8 percent of the generation mix was made up by a variety of non-renewables, including: nuclear power (23.2 percent) and coal (10.5 percent).
Demand over the same period on the Spanish peninsula from the population of 47 million was estimated at 167,133 GWh.
The top renewable source, wind power, generated 3,630 GWh, in the month of August — an increase of 12.2 percent over the previous year, and 17.6 percent of total production that month. For some time now, Spain has held the second highest wind power capacity in Europe — over 23 GW.
Source: renewableenergyworld.com
