The International Energy Agency has said that positive progress has been made with alternative energy technologies, but it warned that the world is still largely dependent on fossil fuel to satisfy growth in global energy demand.
The organization recently released a report called G20 Clean Energy, and Energy Efficiency Deployment and Policy Progress, which was endorsed by the G20 group who met in Cannes on November 03 and 04.
The report was prepared by the IEA in collaboration with the G20 Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency Working Group. It provides an overview of clean energy and energy efficiency technology deployment and summarises support policies in place across G20 countries.
“We welcome the assessment of the countries’ current situation regarding the deployment of these technologies as well as the on-going exercise of sharing best practices, as a basis for better policy making,†the leaders stated in the Cannes Summit Final Declaration.
Some of key statements in the report include:
• deployment of clean energy technologies around the world is progressing rapidly
• implementation of energy efficiency policies is improving
• renewable energy technologies have seen significant growth rates in recent years (From 2005 to 2010, wind power grew at an average rate of 27% per year, and solar photovoltaic at an average rate of 56%) and
• governments are beginning to set goals to support the development of advanced vehicle markets. ‘Advanced vehicles’ refers to electric (which are battery powered), plug-in hybrid (which uses two sources of power – most commonly gasoline and electric) and fuel cell models (which convert hydrogen into electricity)
Despite the advances, IEA warned that in the past decade coal has met nearly 50 per cent of new electricity demand globally, and oil currently accounts for 94% of energy supply in the transport sector.
“Improving end-use efficiency, enhancing the efficiency of fossil fuel based power generation, and supporting the widespread deployment of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) will, therefore, also be crucial aspects of the transition to a cleaner energy futureâ€, the report noted.
“The IEA welcomes this important collaboration with the G20. Enhanced deployment of clean energy technologies and of energy efficiency improvements offers energy security and environmental benefits. It will also enable cost savings over the medium and long term – an aspect that is particularly relevant at a time of economic uncertainty. We believe that enhanced policy assessment and analysis, building on this initial report, will enable governments to take more cost effective and efficient policy decisions†said IEA’s Deputy Executive Director, Ambassador Richard Jones.
Via Mongabay.
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An interesting report indeed.
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Here is the link: http://www.agrion.org/sessions/agrion-ny-Residential_Demand_Response_and_Enabling_Technologies_.htm