Spain electricity demand falls in June

 

Spain's demand for electricity fell by 1.8% in June on an annual basis, marking the tenth straight month of falls, national grid operator REE said on Friday, reflecting weaker consumer demand in the recession-hit country.

Demand in June was 20,655 gigawatt-hours. REE also said demand fell by 1.7% over the first 6 months of the year compared with the same period in 2011.

Spain entered a recession in the Q1 of 2012, sapping energy demand.

A third of energy needs in Spain, which is a major importer of gas, was met by renewable energy sources providing 34% of needs in the month, up from 29.8% in the same month a year ago.

Following is a percentage breakdown of Spain's generation mix in June, as provided by REE:

WIND 16.0%

SOLAR THERMAL 1.9%

* Co-generation plants differ from conventional plants because they recover and make use of waste heat. They are usually gas-fired, but can be adapted from any type of thermal plant.