renewable energies

There has been discussion among the Nuclear Safety Council (CSN) to approve construction of Spain's Temporary Centralised Storage Facility, more commonly referred to as the ATC (Almacén Temporal Centralizado), and a decision is expected in the coming days. The Spanish Government designated Villar de Cañas in Castilla-La Mancha's Cuenca Province as the location for the ATC at the end of 2011 to temporarily store 6,700 tU of radioactive waste accumulated in the country, including high-activity radioactive materials that could not previously be stored in any facility within Spain's borders. At present, nuclear reactors – including three active in Catalonia – must manage high-level waste on-site, either in light water pools or in dry storage casks until it can be shipped to a completed ATC. While Catalonia's nuclear power plants are licensed far into the 2020s, environmental concerns over the safety of radioactive waste hang over nuclear energy's future.

Car manufacturer SEAT, based in Martorell (Greater Barcelona), has set up 53,000 solar panels on the roof of its main factory and on top of parking spaces. The company has just completed the third stage of a €35 million project, which started in 2010, and occupies 10% of the 3 million square metres of its Martorell facilities. The solar panels occupy an extension equivalent to 40 soccer fields and can generate 15 million kWh of clean energy per year. This is equivalent to 25% of the energy needed to produce the Seat Leon or to the “annual consumption of 3,500 households”, said President Jürgen Stackmann. With this eco-friendly project Martorell is now the automation factory with the largest solar plant in the world. Furthermore, the panels were installed over existing facilities and do not occupy additional space.

The University of Lleida (Western Catalonia) will be leading the INNOSTORAGE Project regarding efficient thermal storage. They will focus their study on improving energy-storing by using Phase Change Materials and their temperature changes. The project, which is financed by the European Commission, aims at reducing CO2 emissions and saving energy by finding new efficient energy-storing systems. Thanks to the Marie Curie International Research Staff Exchange Scheme (IRSES), INNOSTORAGE brings together searchers from Catalonia, France, Israel, the United-States, Australia, and New-Zealand.

This pioneering energy plant, located in western Catalonia, will generate 22.5 megawatts of power, the equivalent of the electricity supply to 27,000 houses. The hybrid system combining solar thermal and biomass energy enables the production of electricity 24 hours a day, increasing the production capacity of the plant. It occupies 96 hectares and has 2,688 solar panels. In just 20 months, Abantia and Comse Emte have built the plant and put it to work. The €153 million project will prevent 24,500 tonnes of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere.

The Catalan company opts for sustainable energy and internationalisation to get through the economic difficulties. With this move, Baxiroca hopes to become Europe’s major supplier. The plant has cost 4 million euros and will export 80% of its production.

The 36 wind farms currently in Catalan territory produce enough electricity to supply 2 million people every year and, at the same time, they place Catalonia eighth in the ranking of wind producers in Spain. According to the Catalan Government’s Energy Plan valid until 2015, wind power production could continue to grow and reach 3,500 megawatts.

The project’s aim is to design maritime platforms able to produce hydrogen, generated with the help of green energies. The platforms could be used to provide service to oil tankers or to fix even fish farming, among others potential uses.

The Catalan energy company reduced its debt to 54.4%, thanks to disinvestments. Gas Natural Fenosa ended the first nine months of the year with a net profit 0.3% lower than that in the same period in 2010. However, taking into account the effect of the disinvestments, the net profit increased by 11.6%.

The motorbike, made by Rieju, will cost around 4,500 euros. The company hopes to sell 2,500 electric motorbikes in 2011.

The new subsidiary company of Gas Natural Fenosa, Gas Natural Fenosa Renovables, has been created for the development of renewable energies. The new company puts together all the green energy assets of the group. It will jointly compete with Alstom Wind in the Aeolian Competition of Catalonia.