Nearly 45% of the electricity in Portugal Comes From Renewable Sources
Posted on August 11, 2010 Comments (2)
Portugal Gives Itself a Clean-Energy Makeover
Five years ago, the leaders of this sun-scorched, wind-swept nation made a bet: To reduce Portugal’s dependence on imported fossil fuels, they embarked on an array of ambitious renewable energy projects — primarily harnessing the country’s wind and hydropower, but also its sunlight and ocean waves.
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Nearly 45 percent of the electricity in Portugal’s grid will come from renewable sources this year, up from 17 percent just five years ago.
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While Portugal’s experience shows that rapid progress is achievable, it also highlights the price of such a transition. Portuguese households have long paid about twice what Americans pay for electricity, and prices have risen 15 percent in the last five years, probably partly because of the renewable energy program, the International Energy Agency says.
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Nearly 45 percent of the electricity in Portugal’s grid will come from renewable sources this year, up from 17 percent just five years ago.
…
While Portugal’s experience shows that rapid progress is achievable, it also highlights the price of such a transition. Portuguese households have long paid about twice what Americans pay for electricity, and prices have risen 15 percent in the last five years, probably partly because of the renewable energy program, the International Energy Agency says.
2 Responses to “Nearly 45% of the electricity in Portugal Comes From Renewable Sources”
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August 26th, 2010 @ 6:11 am
Wow, that was an ambitious endeavour and an impressive achievement. It’s taken a while for society to really com to terms with the seriousness of the environmental crisis, but it would appear that we’re now getting somewhere. Did you know that a Scottish university has now discovered how to make bio-fuel for ordinary cars from the by-products of whisky production?
September 21st, 2010 @ 5:15 pm
Wow, a 17% increase in renewable energy reliance IS amazing, but yeah the cost I think is a bit much to warrant the rest of us “dirty power hogs” to fork out TWICE as much for power to our homes and businesses. Portugal is admirable for their ‘green’ efforts, but what western economy can function with energy overhead in excess of 100% increases?