Ecobreves – ARGENTINA: Solar Energy Shines

By IPS Correspondents and - - Reprint | | Print |

BUENOS AIRES, Apr 22 2001 (IPS) - The Greenpeace environmental organization's Argentine office revved up its own solar energy generator in April to provide electricity for its headquarters in the capital, and plans to contribute its surplus to the public network. Oscar Soria, of Greenpeace-Argentina, reported that the purpose is to promote this alternative energy source, though he acknowledged that its costs are still higher than energy produced from conventional – and polluting – sources such as natural gas or coal.

As a symbolic act, the organization announced that it would return the electrical consumption meter to the energy company. Greenpeace will, however, continue to pay for the service in order to avoid legal complications.

There is great potential in Argentina to meet the nation's total energy needs using alternative technologies, like wind and solar power, Soria emphasized.