International solar group renews call for global transition to renewables
FREIBURG, Germany, 2004-09-22 (Refocus Weekly)
An aggressive transition to renewable energy may take more than 50 years to stabilize the environment due to over-use of fossil fuels, says the International Solar Energy Society.
Fossil fuel resources dominate the global energy market, but they are
declining and will deplete within the next few decades, the group says. The
decline in conventional resources has resulted in armed conflicts which could
grow in intensity and frequency in the future.
“It is imperative that we increase the pace of transition to worldwide use of
renewables for a safe energy future,” it says in reissuing its whitepaper on
the transition to a renewable energy future. The paper was first released last
November.
“An orderly shift is both crucial and feasible” and the goal should be to
obtain 20% of energy from renewables by 2020 and 50% by 2050. “The
technologies already exist” and world energy needs can be met by the
wide-scale implementation of renewable energy technologies.
“A more critical and immediate concern involves security of the global energy
supplies and infrastructure,” it warns in the latest release. The terrorist
attack on the U.S. in 2001 highlights the vulnerability of the conventional
energy infrastructure, with 100,000 large fossil and nuclear power plants and
oil refineries around the world today which are potential targets. “No nation
is immune to such dangers,” it adds.
“Some world thinkers promoting nuclear power plants as an alternative to
burning fossil fuels to combat global climate change are overlooking an imminent
problem,” explains ISES president Yogi Goswami of the University of Florida.
“Even without debating concerns over nuclear waste or the proliferation of
material for bombs, nuclear power plants would be obvious targets for terrorist
groups.”
“A major accident based on a terrorist attack using commercial airliners at a
nuclear power plant could kill tens of thousands and contaminate large
geographic areas,” he notes. “A terrorist attack on an oil tanker or natural
gas pipeline could spell environmental disaster.”
The technologies of solar PV, wind, solar thermal and biomass “carry none of
the inherent risks of nuclear and fossil fuel power plants,” the latest
statement explains. “As distributed technologies, they cannot be disrupted by
terrorist attacks. Renewable energy technologies will not only enhance energy
security, but also will result in a clean environment and energy independence,
and will create jobs in local communities.”
The whitepaper was released as a guide for governmental policy measures and the
“enormous social and economic benefits” of using renewables. “A long-term
commitment from world governments, backed by appropriate policies, will spur
large private investment and increase competition and R&D, reducing costs
even further.”
“Globally, it is good business to invest in renewable energy industry, with
its unparalleled growth rates,” says Goswami. “ISES urges the world to
embrace the transition to a clean, safe and stable energy future, for the sake
of the global economy, alleviation of poverty, and a healthy environment.”
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