Spain has made significant progress towards its goal of generating 20% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020. Some regions in Spain already produce over 70% of their electricity from renewables like wind and solar. Wind power in particular has grown substantially, with Spain now the third largest producer of wind energy worldwide behind the US and Germany. Solar power has also increased rapidly and Spain has been a pioneer in mandating its use in new buildings.

1. TOMASA
HERNANDEZ

2. Renewable energy in Spain represented 12.5%
of total energy generation in 2009. Spain has
set the target of generating 20% of its energy
needs from renewable energy sources by
2020.

3. Some autonomous regions in Spain lead
Europe in the use of renewable energy
technology, and plan to reach 100%
renewable energy generation in a few
years. Castilla y Leon and Galicia are
especially near this goal, producing in 2006
70% of their total electricity demand from
renewable energy sources, and 5
communities produce more than 50% from
renewables.

4. WIND POWER IN
SPAIN

5. Spain is the world's third biggest
producer of wind power, after
the United States and Germany, with
an installed capacity of 20,661
megawatts (MW) april 2011, a rise of
1,609 MW for the year. More than 11%
of Spain's electricity came from wind
power in 2008. The largest producer of
wind power in Spain is Iberdrola, with
27 percent of capacity, followed
by Acciona on 16 percent and Endesa
with 10 percent.

6. SOLAR ENERGY IN
SPAIN

7. In 2005 Spain became the first country
in Europe to require the installation
of photovoltaic electricity generation in
new buildings, and the second in the
world to require the installation
of solar hot water systems. With the
construction of the solar power
plant, located near Seville, Spain
became the first country to ever have a
commercial solar energy power tower.