100% Renewable Electricity Region

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100% Renewable Energy Goal:

100% Renewable Electricity Region (Achieved in 2010)

 

Location: 

Extremadura, Spain

 

Summary: 

The region of Extremadura in southwestern Spain is one of the country's leaders in renewable energy installation. In 2010, the electricity demand for its over 1 million people was supplied by entirely renewable sources for the first time. That was a banner year for wind and rain, which made its wind power and hydroelectric plants more productive than usual. Indeed, Spain was able to export electricity to France for the first time, due to the renewable energy bounty that year. Under normal conditions, Extremadura would only have met 78% of power demand with renewable technologies.

The good news, however, is that more renewable electricity installation is in progress in the region. For example, 65 wind projects have achieved initial approval in 2011, which if they move forward, will bring Extremadura's installed wind capacity up to nearly 1.7 gigawatts.

Also, four large solar thermal projects (two in the capital of Merida and two in Usagre) are scheduled to begin construction in 2013 and to be completed by 2019, pending permitting. 

 

Video: Alvarado  Solar Power Plant

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