Parliament approves €4 billion energy projects

clipped from www.worldofrenewables.com The energy projects are part of a €5 billion economic recovery plan, which also allocates further €1.02 billion to broadband Internet connections and rural development. The projects are intended to help Europe to recover from recession by creating jobs and putting it on track for a sustainable and green future. The bulk of energy funding - €2.37 billion - is allocated to gas and electricity interconnections, including €200 million for the Nabucco gas pipeline. A further €565 million is allocated to offshore wind energy farms and €1 billion to setting up carbon capture and storage (CCS) demonstration plants.  The first €2 billion of the money will be spent in 2010 and further €1.98 billion in 2010. The focus on grid inftrastructure followed January's gas crisis, during which Russia cut off gas supplies to transit country Ukraine, leaving large parts of Eastern Europe without electricity and heating.