Electricity production from renewable energy sources (wind, solar power, etc.) is becoming both a key business worldwide and one of the most environmentally friendly.

This activity produces no waste and considerably cuts the level of emissions into the atmosphere of gases from the burning of fossil fuels. Every megawatt hour of wind or solar power saves 600 kgs of CO2 emissions per annum.

The fight to combat gas emissions from the burning of fossil fuels has become a global challenge. In 1997, under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), virtually all countries worldwide signed the so-called "Kyoto Protocol" in which they undertook to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 5.2% between 2008 and 2012 (on 1990 levels).

In March 2007, the EU Eurobarometer reported that 83% of Europeans were in favour of setting minimum levels for energy from renewable sources.

In early 2008, the European Parliament and Council presented a draft directive designed to set a binding overall target for the amount of energy generated from renewable sources at 20% of the total energy consumption that must be respected by each member state, together with binding national targets for 2020, in line with the overall target of 20% for the EU.