There is enough to meet all the demand, but it is not made good use of it.
Metro Directe. Wednesday, 23rd November 2005. Page 2.
Àngela Rodríguez.
If we made the best use of renewable energies in Catalonia, it would be possible to meet the whole of the electricity needs. This is pointed out in a report made by Greenpeace, the ecological organization, following which by 2050 Catalonia could supply with clean energy eighteen times its electricity demand.
The Greenpeace representative in Catalonia, Anna Rosa Martínez, agreed yesterday that renewable resources should be taken advantage of and that the Kyoto Protocol should be implemented, instead of «keeping in operation the dangerous, dirty and expensive nuclear plants».
Self-sufficient.
According to the NGO report, Catalonia could become self-sufficient, and meet the whole of the energy needs, with renewable energies. This goal could even be attained only with thermoelectric solar energy, with photovoltaic energy, or just with aeolian energy.
The study ends up by saying that «Catalonia could produce enough electricity to meet fourteen times its existing needs, just with its total solar capacity.»
The best source.
Carlos Bravo, the person in charge of the energy campaign at Greenpeace pointed out that «the largest energy source we have is the Sun, but, if we want to take advantage of it, the Spanish and Catalan governments must change the absolutely inferior role which up to now has been granted to the sun energy».
Along these lines, Mr. Bravo pointed out that «to extend the time limit of the nuclear power stations» in Catalonia would be the «worst decision» to be taken, because this sort of energy is «more expensive».
Dirty energy.
Carlos Bravo pointed out that «we have an electric system which is unsustainable, based on dirty energy and waste of energy». The person in charge of Greenpeace confirmed that «we could have 100% renewable energy before 2050 if there were a political will to do so». In spite of this, he admitted that «the investment ability is limited».
A minimum 20%.
Greenpeace demands that the European guidelines for Renewable Energies be fulfilled, in order to have a minimum 20% primary energy by 2020. Following the information contained in its report, the ecological organisation requests the Generalitat withdraw the Energy Plan for Catalonia, which was approved in October, because, in its opinion, it does not increase enough the possibilities of the so-called «clean» energies.
