Spain eyes doubling renewables output by 2020

* Renewables to provide 20.2 percent of all energy

* Wind, solar to underpin increase

* Electricity demand seen up 8.2 pct

* Most nuclear plants to stay open

MADRID, March 1 (Reuters) - Spain's government on Monday
proposed more than doubling production from renewable energy
sources by 2020 to just over 20 percent of total energy use,
which would meet European Union targets.

"We face a high degree of energy dependence, high price
volatility in international energy markets and the challenges
of climate change," said an Economy Ministry document
containing details of government plans to revive the
recession-hit economy.

The government is seeking cross-party consensus on its
plans to turn a record 3.6-percent decline in the economy in
2009 into a 2.9-percent increase in 2012. [ID:nLDE61O2CU]

The document predicted renewables production by 2020 would
be the equivalent of 27.9 million tonnes of petroleum, up from
11.96 million tonnes in 2009.

That would be 20.2 percent of Spain's projected primary
energy consuymption, or just above a target of 20 percent set
by the 27-nation European Union.

Total electricity demand was seen rising to 300,186
gigawatt-hours from 246,397 in 2009.

Details of the electricity generation mix showed the
government forecast that renewables would have a 22.7 percent
share by 2020, up from 12.5 percent in 2009.

Most of the increase was expected to come from Spain's
already booming wind and solar power sectors.

Total nuclear power capacity was expected to fall by 460
megawatts, or the amount produced by the ageing Garona plant,
which the government has ordered to be closed in 2013.

The figures suggest Spain's other seven nuclear power
stations will remain open. The Socialist government has said it
expects nuclear power to be phased out, but that most plants
will run until the 2020s or beyond.

Following are details of government forecasts for Spain's
generation mix in 2020, compared to 2009 levels (in
megawatts):
SOURCE 2009 2020
Nuclear 7,716 7,256
Coal 11,900 8,130
Fuel oil 6,202 682
Natural gas 24,004 28,500
Hydropower 16,189 16,662
Onshore wind 18,300 35,000
Offshore wind 0 5,000
Solar 4,165 15,685
Biomass 1,067 2,200
(Reporting by Martin Roberts; Editing by David Gregorio)