European Union Targets Green Energy
Expansion
HOUSTON — April 15, 2002
The European Union is targeting a doubling of energy
production from renewable resources from 6% to 12%
by 2010. Concurrently, it will raise renewable electricity
from 14% to 22% of total electrical power production.
The European Union (EU)
is looking to back this drive up with $1.5 billion
for research into renewable energy integration over
the period 2002 to 2006. This research will need assistance
from industry, public information campaigns, and changes
in the regulatory and fiscal environments.
The commitment of some European countries to the
various renewable energy options available is demonstrated
by the fact that European wind generated power accounts
for 75% of the world total from that alternate source.
In 1999 France, with heavy investment in nuclear
power, generated only 22 mega-watts (MW)
of wind energy against Germany’s 4,445 MW and Denmark’s
1,742 MW.
In the same year, 674,000 square meters of thermal
solar energy collectors had been installed in France,
3.1 million square meters in Germany, and 2.65 million
square meters in Greece. Only 10 MW of photovoltaic
power was generated in France, while Germany produced
66 MW and Italy 18.6 MW.
Now, an EU draft directive sets France with a target
of generating 21% of its electricity from renewable
sources by 2010, which is an increase of 6% from the
current 15%. This implies a projected windpower output
of 14,000 MW from France. The development of photovoltaic
energy is currently fraught with interstate pricing
anomalies.
(This is an advisory by Industrialinfo.com; Houston,
TX).
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