Renewable energy: perspectives

As the year and the decade comes to an end today, renewable energy seems to set to enjoy growth in the next few year while it will also be necessary to overcome enormous technological obstacles currently in the way of a clean energy-powered world.

Here are Energy Refuge we are big fans of algae biofuel and noted that Wired published an in-depth article about this type of biofuel, focusing on the research carried out by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, part of which has been lost, sadly. The article makes a realistic analysis of algae’s actual potential as a source of biofuel. Riveting read.

California seems poised to continue leading the way in renewable energy. Venture Beat writes that in the Golden State there are “200 renewable energy products totaling 70 gigawatts of energy are under consideration … That’s more than eight times the current 8,000 megawatts of renewable generation already in the works”. Of the total, 53 projects are expected to be completed in 2010, the biggest one being a 1,000-megawatt solar thermal plant in Riverside County.

But it’s not only California that is bound for more renewable energy. According to Green Energy Reporter, in 2010 “companies and governments will invest $200 billion in renewable energy, up nearly 50 percent from $130 billion in 2009 and above the $155 billion invested in 2008”.

Earlier this week, Brazil announced the national climate change legislation to reduce projected greenhouse gas emissions 36.1 to 38.9 percent by 2020. And renewable energy is key to the country’s climate change mitigation plans as one of the objectives of the National Policy on Climate Change is to promote the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by encouraging the use of clean energy.

China also stepped up efforts to increase use of renewable energy “by forcing electricity-grid operators to prioritize their use”, wrote the Wall Street Journal.

Energy Refuge wishes a great new year and decade to all of its readers and we hope the coming years will see important developments in the sector. We look forward to that.

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