SPAIN’S use of coal as an energy source almost doubled last year, according to the country’s national grid.
Although nuclear power remains the largest single contributor to Spain’s power supply (21 per cent), the contribution of coal-fired plants increased from eight per cent to 15 per cent.
The significant 96.3 per cent increase is due to both a decline in hydraulic production and an increase in subsidies for the coal industry.
The environmental cost of the increase is a 25 per cent rise in CO2 emissions in 2011 compared to 2010.
The combined contribution to the power supply of Spain’s renewable sector – including wind, hydraulic, geothermal and solar – fell from 36 to 33 per cent.
