Renewable Energy in Galicia
Currently the US and the rest of the world are frantically searching for solutions on how to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Switching to renewable energies is quickly emerging as the best solution and sadly US corporations are currently lagging behind Europe (and specifically, Galicia, Spain) in regards to global expansion of these renewables.
Galicia, situated in the northwest of Spain, is the leading region for wind energy development and is on the brink of remarkable growth in solar energy capabilities. Galicia is an excellent model for US development in this sector. Specific advances include:
Solar Energy Developments:
* T-Solar (half owned by Isolux Corsan)—in partnership with Applied Materials (USA) and Ib Vogt (Germany)—will open a solar panel factory in Galicia in 2008. The factory will produce the most efficient solar panels in the EU, and expects revenue of € 100 million in 2009.
* Cambados OCV, a Galician solar technology developer, is launching a thermal solar panel specially geared for the Galician climate (overcast climate panels) called “Reisol”
* Helionova, a Galician company launched in 2001, entered the solar energy market in 2003 and now has over 200 installations
* Solnova Energías Renovables plans to jump into the solar energy market by installing 500 solar panels at industrial sights and business parks around the region
* Emesa, a Galician company specialized in the design, manufacture and assembly of metallic structures for wind turbines and solar panels, has just won a contract to build the solar structure as part of architect Santiago Calavatra’s Ground Zero design in New York.
Wind Energy Developments:
* As a region, Galicia on its own matches – and often surpasses – entire nations in wind energy production, ranking sixth worldwide after Germany, the U.S., the rest of Spain, Denmark and India. Galicia produces more wind energy than California and Texas combined!
* Given Galicia’s location and geographic features, the establishment of hydroelectric and thermal power stations, hydraulic operations, wind farms, and solar power stations is ideal.
* While numerous other global companies have already caught on to the trend of investing in Galicia (Danish company Vestas and Australia’s Babcock & Brown Wind Partners), U.S. companies have not yet profited from Galicia’s abundance of renewable energy, its considerable tax incentives, and cutting edge technology - all of which have created a substantial cost reduction in terms of initial investment in the region.
