ABSTRACT
Rapid economic growth and scarce fossil fuel reserves have pushed Spain to invest heavily in renewable energy over the past few decades. A successful feed-in tari system has spurred private sector investment in renewable energy by oering competitive nancial returns-helping the country become a world leader in both wind and solar energy technology. Spain
6.1 Introduction ...........................................................................................279 6.2 Energy Challenges and the Onset of Nuclear Power in Spain ....... 280 6.3 e Quest for Renewable Energy ....................................................... 284
6.3.1 A Brief History of the Regulatory Framework and the Feed-In Tari System .............................................................. 285
6.3.2 e Tari Decit and the Critics of the Feed-In Tari System ........................................................................................ 288
6.4 e Renewable Energy Plan of 2011-2020 .........................................291 6.5 e Main Sectors behind the Growth of Renewables in Spain:
Wind and Solar .................................................................................... 296 6.5.1 e Wind Energy Sector ......................................................... 297 6.5.2 e Solar Energy Sector .......................................................... 300
6.5.2.1 Solar PV .......................................................................301 6.5.2.2 Concentrated Solar Power ........................................ 304
6.6 Conclusions ........................................................................................... 307 References ....................................................................................................... 308
still relies on foreign suppliers to provide three-quarters of its energy consumption, but investments in renewable sources have prevented an even greater dependence while reducing the country’s carbon footprint. Major energy industry players in Spain have become internationalized, and some already derive most of their sales from overseas operations. is move has paid o in light of Spain’s currently (in 2013) sluggish domestic economy and the sustained growth in markets outside Europe. is chapter will provide a brief overview of the renewable energy sector in Spain and touch on the sector’s future prospects.
