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Remember all those folks who said renewables would never be a real-deal? Well, it's pretty close to official: clean energy tech is "big business." Global investments in renewable energy set a new record of $30 billion in 2004, according to Renewables 2005: Global Status Report a new report by the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21). Highlights include:
Renewable energy technologies are 4 percent of electricity share globally.
48+ countries have a renewable energy policy, including 14 developing countries. Targets range for 5-30 percent by 2010-12 for shares of electricity production.
Blending biofuels into vehicle fuels have been mandated for 20 states and provinces worldwide including three key countries: Brazil, China and India.
The key to market success is government leadership. The market leaders in 2004 were Brazil in biofuels, China in solar hot water, Germany in solar electricity, and Spain in wind power.
Grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) was the fastest growing technology, increasing in existing capacity by 60 percent per year from 2000-2004. More than 400,000 rooftops in Japan, Germany, and the United States have solar PV. Wind power capacity is second, growing by 28 percent led by Germany.
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