Series: Renewable Energy: Research, Development, and Policies
BISAC: TEC031010

Renewable energy sources (RES) are considered sources of the future. The European Union as a whole is dependent on the import of primary energy sources – around 50%. Accepted liabilities in the area of fair protection present other influences to the energetic strategy of the EU; therefore, this strategy is concentrating mainly on the area of energy to the RES using energetic effectiveness, with no negligible potential in the individual member states. Over the years, the program of activities in the area of energy had become the main tools for the achievement of indicative goals for energy production from RES (intelligent energy in Europe, etc.). Member states in the EU had agreed in 2009 on increasing energy production from RES. Its goal until 2020 is to achieve a 20% rate of RES. In 2011, its rate was estimated at the level of 13.4%, which presented growth of about 0.9%.

Europe is investing considerably in renewable energies for a sustainable future, with both Iberian countries (Portugal and Spain) promoting significantly new hydropower, wind, and solar plants. RES have minimal influence on the climax and there is the possibility of decreasing the number of emissions of damaging elements. In spite of the number of conveniences, RES development is still rather slow and limited. There are existing presuppositions that RES installing and their development is exceedingly not effective and costly, since we have rather cheaper conventional sources available. But the problem with RES development is the economical system, acting according to the principle of “cheaper production” and “faster achievement of high profit.” RES development as well as their financial and environmental return lasts for some period, which means results cannot be expected immediately. Therefore, it is necessary to invest into RES with the aim to achieve broader space and time for technologies and innovation improving. Consequently, it will lead to higher effectiveness of energy transmitting as well as a shorter payback period.