WASHINGTON, DC, US, 2004-05-19 (Refocus Weekly) Renewable energy is a “bright spot” in the global energy economy, and is poised for a global takeoff due to soaring prices for oil and natural gas and the deepening instability in the Middle East.
Generation from solar photovoltaic has trebled in the past five years around
the world while output from wind turbines has quadrupled, according to ‘Mainstreaming
Renewable Energy in the 21st Century’ from the Worldwatch Institute. Germany
has twice as much installed wind capacity as the United States, despite higher
potential in the U.S., while Japan uses more PV than any other country although
it has less sunshine than California.
“Political will and the right mix of policies - not vast resource potential -
have made wind and solar power the world’s fastest growing energy sources over
the past decade,” says report author Janet Sawin. In Germany, Japan, Spain and
other countries, “clear government commitments to renewable energy have
overcome barriers and created the demand for these technologies that has led to
dramatic growth, while advancing renewable technologies and driving down their
costs.”
“The experiences of Germany and Japan hint at the great potential for
renewables in the United States, which is both geographically large and
resource-rich,” adds Sawin. “The technologies are ready; what we need is
strong political leadership to vault renewables into the mainstream.”
Renewables have proved that they can meet the energy needs of both industrial
and developing countries, and offer real solutions to accelerating global demand
for energy and rising concerns about supplies and environmental impacts.
The global transition to renewables will require “significant upfront
investments” to develop the technologies and to reduce costs but, over the
long term, benefits will include improved global air and water quality,
increased security of supply, new jobs, and a reduced threat of climate change.
Wind, solar, geothermal and modern bioenergy generate electricity for 300
million homes around the world. Last year, US$20 billion was invested in new
renewables, representing one-sixth of total global investment in power
generation equipment, and this is forecast to hit $85 billion within the next
decade.
Recent increases in gasoline prices have reminded motorists of the insecurity
that comes from heavy dependence on fossil fuels. Those fuels continue to
benefit from an array of government subsidies, she explains, and carry a range
of hidden costs in the form of damage to human health and natural ecosystems.
Brazil, China and India are three countries that recognize the economic and
environmental benefits of renewables and are providing tax breaks and policy
measures to partially offset the advantages enjoyed by fossil fuels.
The past decade of rapid policy development has provided a blueprint for a
portfolio of integrated policies with the proven ability to get renewable energy
off the ground, allowing new dynamic markets to emerge, says Sawin. Growth in
Germany, Japan, Denmark and Spain is due to key elements of a strong renewable
energy policy that includes assured access to the market, financial incentives,
education and information dissemination, public participation and ownership, and
clear industry standards and siting regulations.
“Policies must be sustained and consistent to avoid boom-and-bust cycles that
shake investor confidence and inhibit the development of strong domestic
industries,” says Sawin. “Those countries that stay the course will end up
not only with a more efficient and cleaner energy system but will reap economic
rewards in the form of new industries and jobs.”