Post by pigeonpie on Sept 21, 2009 13:00:38 GMT
Sant Lluís and Ciutadella sign up to combat climate change
Sant Lluís and Ciutadella have become the first municipal districts in the archipelago to sign up to an agreement promoted by the Balearic Government and European Commission. The idea behind the “Mayors’ Pact” is to encourage Town Councils to employ actions to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and to promote the use of renewable energy sources.
During her recent visit to the Binissafúller de Baix solar farm, the Director General of Energy, Magdalena Tugores, explained that the regional government’s objective was that all the municipal districts in the Balearic Islands should sign up to the pact which will allow access to European Union finance and will provide subsidies for projects linked with: the reduction of gases which cause the ‘greenhouse effect’; energy saving; and the use of alternative energy sources, which are the three basics in the fight against climate change.
Binissafúller de Baix
Tugores was visiting the Sant Lluís solar farm for the first time, although it has been operating for a year and is now generating its forecast energy output of 1,400,000 kwh per year. This energy, introduced into the GESA grid, results in a reduction of 1,700 tons of CO2 being released into the atmosphere.
At 35,000 square metres, the Binissafúller de Baix complex, run by Menorca Sol 2006, is one of the smallest of the twenty solar farms existing in the Balearics.
Son Salomó
The minister also visited the solar farm at Son Salomó, the largest in the Balearics both in potential output (3 million watts) and in size (13 hectares). The Ciutadella farm started operating at full capacity in May 2008. Last year its output was 4.8 million kilowatts per hour, equivalent to the energy consumed by approximately 1,500 families, or 3% of Menorca’s energy production. According to the two companies responsible for running the plant, this represents a saving of 6,000 tons of CO2 emissions.
Last July an extra 5,000 silicon panels were added, bringing the total to 20,000. Although this has not increased the plant’s potential it has increased the efficiency of the panels. There are plans to increase the output to 3.9 megawatts, once the necessary paperwork has been approved.
It is estimated that the plant will have a useful life of around 30 years. The total investment of 15 million euros is expected to be recovered in approximately twelve years.
Milà wind farm
Another source of alternative energy, Milà wind farm, was also included on the minister’s itinerary.
Thanks to an agreement between the Balearic Government and the Menorca Consortium for Solid Waste and Energy, improvements have been made to the operation of the windmills to overcome problems which had resulted in the wind farm producing 20% less energy than originally forecast.
Sant Lluís and Ciutadella have become the first municipal districts in the archipelago to sign up to an agreement promoted by the Balearic Government and European Commission. The idea behind the “Mayors’ Pact” is to encourage Town Councils to employ actions to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and to promote the use of renewable energy sources.
During her recent visit to the Binissafúller de Baix solar farm, the Director General of Energy, Magdalena Tugores, explained that the regional government’s objective was that all the municipal districts in the Balearic Islands should sign up to the pact which will allow access to European Union finance and will provide subsidies for projects linked with: the reduction of gases which cause the ‘greenhouse effect’; energy saving; and the use of alternative energy sources, which are the three basics in the fight against climate change.
Binissafúller de Baix
Tugores was visiting the Sant Lluís solar farm for the first time, although it has been operating for a year and is now generating its forecast energy output of 1,400,000 kwh per year. This energy, introduced into the GESA grid, results in a reduction of 1,700 tons of CO2 being released into the atmosphere.
At 35,000 square metres, the Binissafúller de Baix complex, run by Menorca Sol 2006, is one of the smallest of the twenty solar farms existing in the Balearics.
Son Salomó
The minister also visited the solar farm at Son Salomó, the largest in the Balearics both in potential output (3 million watts) and in size (13 hectares). The Ciutadella farm started operating at full capacity in May 2008. Last year its output was 4.8 million kilowatts per hour, equivalent to the energy consumed by approximately 1,500 families, or 3% of Menorca’s energy production. According to the two companies responsible for running the plant, this represents a saving of 6,000 tons of CO2 emissions.
Last July an extra 5,000 silicon panels were added, bringing the total to 20,000. Although this has not increased the plant’s potential it has increased the efficiency of the panels. There are plans to increase the output to 3.9 megawatts, once the necessary paperwork has been approved.
It is estimated that the plant will have a useful life of around 30 years. The total investment of 15 million euros is expected to be recovered in approximately twelve years.
Milà wind farm
Another source of alternative energy, Milà wind farm, was also included on the minister’s itinerary.
Thanks to an agreement between the Balearic Government and the Menorca Consortium for Solid Waste and Energy, improvements have been made to the operation of the windmills to overcome problems which had resulted in the wind farm producing 20% less energy than originally forecast.
