Renewable energy provided 42.4% of the electricity demand in Spain this year, 10.5 percentage points higher than in 2012.
According to figures released by Red Eléctrica in its Spanish Electricity System Preliminary Report 2013; wind power contributed most to the annual electricity demand coverage with a share of 21.1%. This was 3 percent higher than in 2012 and just above nuclear power electricity generation.
Other wind related records tumbled this year, included maximum availability of instantaneous power on February 6 (17,056 MW).
This year saw 173 MW of wind power capacity installed in Spain and 440 MW of solar energy technologies – 140 MW of solar PV and 300 MW of solar thermoelectric. With these sources incorporated, renewables now represent 49.1% of the total installed power capacity on the Spanish peninsula.
Solar PV and thermal accounted for 6.5% of Spain’s installed electricity generation capacity in 2013.
The share of renewables in the nation’s energy supply this year was also boosted by good rains. Hydropower doubled its contribution to demand coverage with a share of 14.4%; producing 32,205 GWh – 16% higher than the average historical value and 250% more than in 2012.
Gross demand for electricity this year was 246,166 GWh, 2.3% lower than during 2012.
Combined cycle power generation’s share dropped to 9.6% this year (down from 14.1%) coal-fired power generation also lost ground – from 19.3% in 2012 to 14.6% this year.
747 km of new transmission lines were installed in 2013 and the national transmission grid now totals 42,116 km of transmission infrastructure.
Red Eléctrica is the sole transmission agent and operator of the Spanish electricity system. Red Eléctrica ended 2012 with net revenue of just over € 1.755 billion, 7% higher than in 2011.
