Posted on May 13th, 2011 by Whitney Peterson
Renewable energy technologies have the potential to fulfill nearly 80% of the world’s energy demand by 2050, as long as the appropriate polices are in place. That’s the conclusion of the Special Report on Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation, released by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change this month. While the report suggests that some growth in the renewable energy sector is almost certain, the highest growth will require implementation of policies that help overcome technical and economic barriers to development.
According to the report, a surging growth of renewable energy in recent years (along with falling costs) is an encouraging sign. Although the contribution of renewable energy has varied from region to region, the growth of wind, solar and other renewable energy sources around the world has been rapid — even in the face of global financial challenges over the past few years.
Projections of the future contribution of renewable energy vary widely, ranging from 17% to 77% of all energy use by 2050. The exact percentage of renewable energy contribution will depend on factors such as the development of infrastructure, public acceptance, and the level of financial investment.
Luckily, the report provides a range of examples of how to design and implement the most effective policies to encourage renewable energy use. These include renewable energy standards, regulations, and financial mechanisms that assign a price to carbon.
If implemented properly, renewable energy has the potential to improve access to reliable, affordable energy sources around the world, while allowing us to avoid the most dangerous effects of climate change.
Retrieved from http://theclimateproject.org/news/article/432
* color and emphasis added by the blogger
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