Spain helps out neighbour France in green power surge

Spain has bolstered its credentials as a world leader in renewable energy by exporting electricity to France for the first time. Heavy rain and strong winds during 2010 meant that renewables - principally hydro, wind and solar power - met 35 per cent of Spanish demand.

Wind power rose by 18.5 per cent in 2010 and now meets 16 per cent of demand. Luis Atienza, managing director of Spain's electricity grid, predicted that "within three years wind power will overtake nuclear as an electricity source". At its peak, on November 9, wind power met 43 per cent of demand.

This greening of the Spanish grid has not benefited the consumer, with prices likely to rise by nine per cent in 2011. The government sets electricity prices which have no direct correlation with production costs. (The Guardian)

Electricity prices will rise 9.8 % in 2011 and that is almost 40% since 2002.