WRITTEN QUESTION E-3866/97 by José Valverde López (PPE) to the Commission (5 December 1997)

Subject: Energy self-sufficiency in Andalusia

Andalusia's self-sufficiency rate in energy is a mere 8%, although the figure for Spain as a whole is 30%.

Can the Commission state what projects for local production (on the basis of cogeneration and renewable energy) have been funded from the Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund in the past, or are being funded now?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission (9 February 1998)

In 1986-91, Andalusia received approximately ECU 25 million under the Community Initiative Valoren for 126 projects to promote local production of alternative energy (solar, wind power, biomass) and to improve the use of energy.

In 1994-99, the Commission is granting assistance from the European Regional Development Fund of ECU 118.3 million for a global grant managed by IDAE (Instituto para la diversificación y el ahorro energético) covering all the Spanish areas eligible under Objective 1 for the same purposes as the assistance mentioned above. Since this is a programme depending on applications received, a regional breakdown of the figure given is currently not possible.

The operational programme for Andalusia also provides, over the same period and in the field of alternative energy, for several aid schemes part-financed by the ERDF with a volume of approximately ECU 14 million.

The Cohesion Fund has not supported any projects of this kind in the region, as the scope of this Fund is to finance projects in the field of the environment and transport infrastructures of common interest.