What is made of renewable energy?

While the world is investing heavily in this area, we slowed down or even stopped. Brief portrait of an industry that contributes € 3.2 million to the national GDP and generates about 50 thousand jobs.

Once uppon a time, there was a country that dreamed of the green economy. It dreamed and made: in 2010, Portugal became the fifth European country with greater use of renewable energy, with 25% of consumption have provenance sources in environmentally "clean". The bet had started in the 90s. The crisis has changed everything? It is true that there is money for nothing and the energy is not lost on subsidy cuts, lack of bank financing, bankruptcy of companies ... But there are those who point the finger at fault in the "political will" and speech "antigreen".

"It created the idea that the government is against betting on renewables. Quite the contrary. A bet is to maintain, but not without looking at the costs, as we were passing the burden on the end consumer", adds Arthur Trindade, secretary of State for Energy. The cost of speaking the ruler, better known by the phrase "excess rents" are, in essence, state subsidies to producers of renewable energy and not only that the troika had cut. The Executive has implemented the measure, but fell far short of the intended, according to the European Commission. Still, the 1.8 billion euros that the government wants to save up to 2020 has left some producers up in arms.

However, environmentalists point out, should not be confused with excessive subsidies renewables. "Paid more in electric bills for income-guarantee that the renewable power", says Francisco Ferreira, former president of Quercus. "These weigh a third aggravation of invoices. Environmental benefits but have to be booked," he adds.

The world has long realized these environmental and economic benefits. Green is a market, should not be forgotten, creates added value and produces industrial employment. Germany followed the decision to close all its nuclear power plants with a program of 300 billion investment in renewable energy. The goal: to reach a consumption of 80% clean energy by 2050.

Siemens is putting fortunes in the wind and it is the second company in the world for offshore platforms [placed in the sea], having abandoned the nuclear. Now was the General Electric.