Expert energy panel urges
more renewables, tax on CO2
A 14-member expert panel set
up by Spain’s government at
the behest of Congress to advise
on energy policies has issued a
546-page report that calls for a
firm commitment to renewable
energy and a new tax on carbon
emissions that will result in
reduced electricity prices to the
consumer and enable Spain to end
electricity generation from coal-
fired power plants by 2030. The
report calls for a small increase
in gasoline prices to consumers
of just 2 percent, while electricity
cost to the consumer would fall by
nearly 7 percent. If adopted by the
government, the policy changes
outlined in the report would see a
steep 28 percent hike in the cost of
industrial fuel oil as a result of a tax
applied to energy from fossil fuels.
Electricity produced by coal-fired
plants would disappear by 2030,
but the report also calls for a 50-
year increase in the life of nuclear
power plants. The plan outlined
in the report calls for a reduction
of carbon emissions in non-
industrial sectors of 26 percent
from 2005 levels, an 27 percent
increase in energy production
from renewable sources and a 30
percent net energy savings overall.
For full story see: Progressive
Spain
Spanish government rushes
to reform “out of date” rules
before forest fire season
begins
Aerial firefighters have just been
given the chance to smother
wildfires more effectively. Ahead
of the prevention campaign this
summer, legislation exempting
air tankers from complying
with standard rest periods has
been tweaked, according to the
Official State Bulletin (BOE).