This news article was originally written in Spanish. It has been automatically translated for your convenience. Reasonable efforts have been made to provide an accurate translation, however, no automated translation is perfect nor is it intended to replace a human translator. The original article in Spanish can be viewed at La Comisión Europea descarta armonizar los sistemas de apoyo a las renovables

The European Commission rules out harmonize systems of support for renewables

09/01/2006

on January 9, 2006

The Association of producers of renewable energies (APPA) has welcomed with great satisfaction the main conclusions of the communication on support systems electricity of renewable origin, published by the European Commission. The document calls for the coordination of the Member States to adapt the electrical systems to the renewable generation, the establishment of the guarantee of origin of electricity and the improvement of legislative stability, with the subsequent reduction of the risk for the investor.

The Commission defends the validity of the public support systems similar to the Spanish - feed in tariffs-, considered to be cheaper and more effective than other - green certificates and fees - pay options, taking into account of generation capacity that renewables have been achieved in countries where it is existingDenmark, Germany and Spain.

In Denmark, renewables, except for the hydraulics, cover 20 percent of electricity demand; in Spain and Germany, 7 percent and 9 percent respectively. Support in the first country policies account for 15 percent of its electricity tariff; in the other two, between 4 percent and 5 percent.

With an eye to the future European electricity market, communication calls on Member States that optimize and coordinate their support systems, facilitate administrative procedures to facilitate the appropriate permits and to increase the stability of the legal frameworkin order to reduce the risk of investors.

Precisely in order to reduce the risk in investments in renewable, very costly in capital and with long payback periods, is possible harmonization of systems of support of the Member States, according to the position of APPA, but they will continue to analyse the advantages and disadvantages of it.

As APPA is no longer satisfied is the postponement announced by the Commission, from 2006 to 2007, of the necessary setting goals for more 2010 renewable energy sources.