Green power grows 12-fold among OECD nations

PARIS, France, 2004-09-01 (Refocus Weekly)

The generation of non-hydro green power has grown 12-fold in OECD nations since the OPEC crisis, according to the International Energy Agency.

Geothermal accounted for 6,530 GWh in 1973, says ‘Energy Statistics of OECD Countries,’ of which 2,612 was in North America, 2,506 in Europe and 1,512 GWh in Pacific member countries of the OECD. By 2002, that output had increased to 32,889 GWh, of which North America was responsible for 20,337 while Europe and Pacific countries generated 6,250 GWh each.

Solar electric was noted as zero in 1973, but was 680 GWh by 1990, growing to 930 GWh in 2002. Of that output, North American accounted for 626, Europe for 293 and the Pacific for 11 GWh. Solar PV was 361 and solar thermal electric was 569 GWh.

Wind, tide and wave collectively generated 559 GWh in 1973, all in Europe, and had grown to 50,143 GWh by 2002, of which 37,370 was in Europe, 11,194 in North America and 1,570 in Pacific countries. In this category, wind accounted for 47,616 GWh of total output.

Combined, those renewable energy sources grew from 7,189 GWh in 1973 to 83,962 GWh in 2002.

Combustible renewables (biomass) and waste generated 7,152 GWh of electricity in 1973, and was 168,366 GWh in 2002. Of that output, 79,056 was in North America, 60,097 in Europe and 29,213 GWh in the Pacific.

Hydroelectricity has always been the major technology in renewable energy, contributing 925,557 GWh in 1973 and rising to 1,300,846 GWh in 2002, lower than the peak of 1,386,618 GWh in 2000.

Total generation among OECD nations in 2002 was 9,827,451 GWh, the report shows, of which nuclear was the largest single technology at 2,275,676 GWh, followed by hard coal, natural gas and hydroelectricity.


clcik here for more information

Visit http://www.sparksdata.co.uk/refocus/ for your international energy focus!!