The Renewable Energy sector is today widely spoken. Development is unthinkable without state support in the form of tariffs, premiums, incentives and grants. The question immediately arises, are expensive renewable energy? The Minister of Environment Ms. Cristina Narbona was in this sense resounding: NO.

Today, the electricity they consume is very cheap, however renewables premia have very strong production. How can you say that they are not expensive? Looking at the situation from a more objective perspective and global, we realize that energy prices are cheating as there are many important factors is not collected.

Fossil Fuels

• First, and foremost, are polluting and catastrophically contribute to global warming. In 2007 it will pay particular attention to climate change, and everything points to a turning point towards renewable energy.
• Energy dependence. Spain alone produces coal, and low and bad. We can say that we are dependent on the wishes and whims of others almost 100%, with subsequent geopolitical cost incalculable. The recent natural gas crisis between Russia and Belarus is not just another reminder.
• There is a demonstrated shortage of resources, and this problem will be worse.
• Inevitable price increases in the short, medium and long term.

Nuclear energy

• We have heard many times that does not pollute, but this is true only from the unique perspective of the emission of greenhouse gases. Nuclear power produces waste which isotopes will emit radiation for thousands of years.
• The sad twentieth anniversary of the Chernobyl catastrophe reminds us of the enormous danger that this energy source can make until we know more about it and be able to solve some obscure points it raises.
• Though this source can achieve energy independence, today almost all nuclear electricity we bought in France.
• Huge grants to state and European level.
• Like any exhaustible energy source, uranium stocks are very limited.
• Not taking into account the costs of decommissioning nuclear plants or management of radioactive waste.
• No doubt the cost of this energy is also expected to be increasing.

Renewable Energy

• They have little environmental cost.
• Potential for self-generation, energy independence and democratization.
• Like the previous ones, are heavily subsidized.
• Unlike the previous ones, tend to decrease their costs to develop a market with more efficient technologies, expertise and economies of scale. This tariff will be adjusted so that the ultimate profitability of the investment is always similar, while adapting to technical progress.
• Energy resources infinite human scale.
• Are less hazardous potential to bring.

Therefore, the rates we pay for energy costs do not cover all important, many of them are computed separately, or are difficult to quantify. One can not conclude that today’s fossil fuels and nuclear are cheaper than renewables, but certainly in the very near future will be more expensive.

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1. Renewable energy sources and their applications
2. Renewable Energy
3. What is Renewable Energy?
4. Renewable Energy: The Good, the Bad, and the So-So
5. Spain will have to triple renewable energy