Spain goes green

With an unemployment rate at 18.5 percent, the Spanish government is desperate to find creative ways to overcome the economic crisis. It’s seeking its answer in stimulating alternative energy.

After all, Van Jones's inspiring vision to create "green jobs" has been heard for years on the European continent. Thanks to governments introducing generous inducements to help develop solar power and wind energy, clean technology has made a significant dent in many European countries. For example, Spain now exports more windmills and solar panels than wine, reports The Washington Post. The country generates nearly a quarter of its electricity through renewable sources; in the U.S. that percentage is seven.

As governments are hoping to replace the millions of jobs that were lost, Spain now has a plan to redeploy up to 80 percent of the million construction workers who lost their jobs last year. New laws and public and private investments should increase domestic demand for alternative energy.

Needless to say: It is noted that the Obama administration is taking a close look at what Spain is doing. Read more about it here.

Image via Flickr user azugaldia under the Creative Commons license.