Back to basics as coal power rises {spain}

[xchrom]

http://www.elpais.com/articulo/english/Back/to/basics/as/coal/power/rises/elpepueng/20120109elpeng_13/Ten

Renewables may be the future, but Spain's energy output continues to depend heavily on traditional sources, says the country's national grid. The report for 2001 by REE, the operator of the Spanish electrical grid, says that the largest single contribution to the power supply, 21 percent of the 255,179 gigawatt-hours (GWh) produced last year, came from nuclear-power stations. Coal-fired plants made up 15 percent of output, double the previous year's eight percent, contributing to an overall 25-percent increase in CO2 emissions from the electricity sector on the 2010 figure.

The cost is not just environmental, but economic, as the increase in greenhouse gases will have to be traded on the international emissions markets.

The main reason for the use of coal and nuclear power last year was the decline in hydraulic production, which fell from 16 percent to 11 percent of electricity generation. At the same time, and as environmental organizations have pointed out, the government increased subsidies to the coal industry. Although Spanish coal is of poor quality and heavily polluting, the previous Socialist government of ex-Prime Minister Zapatero opted to keep mines open in areas with few other economic opportunities.

The contribution of Spain's much-vaunted renewables sector ? wind, hydraulic, geothermal and solar ? to the grid declined last year, falling from a combined 36 percent to 33 percent.

[Yo_Mama]

1. The real change appears due to dry conditions, right?

That's what I got from this.

They compensated for lower hydro with more coal - and they are still moving along with solar power:

Solar-power output increased by 43 percent in 2011 on the previous year, thanks to the introduction of two new thermo-electric plants in Andalusia.

The Spanish government is struggling with a horrific economy and unemployment over 20%, so their ability to make large new power investments is quite limited, and they are going to support domestic coal to help the economy.

[xchrom]

2. Spanish problems are deep. And that is probably

The message here.

A serious set back in your economy sets back good goals.

I don't know that it has to be that way - but that's what's happening with austerity.

[Yo_Mama]

3. Yes it has to be this way

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11909499

The above is an article from 2010, but I included it because of the information on unemployment benefits and households without income. Since then, the unemployment rate has only risen - it's now over 22%. The economy is contracting, and the government continued unemployment benefits, because for far too many Spanish households, that's the only income they have:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h4srddtLjEWOchBoXpoYMYcLzU-Q?docId=CNG.632441e3ed926966f2e9767e3508010c.c61

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-03/spanish-unemployment-rises-for-fifth-straight-month-as-economy-contracts.html

They are struggling with the basics, and the economy is not stabilizing:
http://www.markiteconomics.com/MarkitFiles/Pages/ViewPressRelease.aspx?ID=9021
http://www.markiteconomics.com/MarkitFiles/Pages/ViewPressRelease.aspx?ID=8978

The Spanish housing bubble was very large, and its end has dumped Spain into a depression.
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/spain/retail-sales-annual
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/spain/government-budget