By Greentech Lead Team: According to Red Electrica de
Espana (REE), wind energy broke a record in February in Spain with wind
turbines generating a total of 4.890 GWh. Wind power was the No. 3 source of
energy in the month, after coal-fired and nuclear plants.
Wind energy’s share of demand coverage in February
reached 21.7 percent. This output alone could meet the monthly electricity
needs of a country the size of Portugal.
The Spanish wind energy industry provides jobs
to more than 30,000 people, exports technology valued at more than 2 billion
euros annually and eliminates the need for importing 2 billion euros’ worth of
fossil fuels, helping to offset Spain’s current account deficit.
The average Spanish 2-MW wind turbine annually generates
energy equivalent to 7,000 barrels of oil. Wind energy enabled Spain to save
around 260 million euros in income transfers abroad by reducing the bill for
importing fossil fuels and by preventing CO2 emissions.
Wind energy prevented emissions totalling 1.8 million
tonnes of CO2 in February, the equivalent of planting 900,000 trees.
Wind power helped to keep the average price of
electricity in Spain far lower than that of other European countries. While
in the first two weeks of the month the average Spanish electricity market
price stood at 51 euro/MWh, in France it was more than double at 105 euro/MWh.
Moreover, in the first half of February wind energy accounted for 28.9 percent
of average demand coverage.
