Spain to install 8.8 GW of renewable energy to 2012

MADRID (Reuters) - Spain plans to bring 8.8 gigawatts of renewable energy generating capacity onstream in 2010-2012, 5.3 GW of which will be wind power and 1.5 GW will be from solar mirrors, the government said on Friday.

Spain's industry ministry has completed the approval of a flood of renewable energy projects it received over the summer, and approved projects will qualify for lucrative subsidies set in 2007, an Industry Ministry spokesman said.

"There could be a few appeals from developers who were not approved, but basically the process is finished and covers installations for the next three years," the spokesman said.

In the case of mirror plants, the government has also approved a further 540 megawatts of power to be brought on stream in 2013, which will give Spain 2.4 GW of generating capacity and make it a world leader in this technology.