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Page added on December 4, 2012
Beyond Oil: IEA Report Confirms Leading Role for Renewables
IEA’s World Energy Outlook 2012 generated a flurry of stories about the prediction the U.S. will emerge as the world’s leading oil producer by 2020. While it is important news, it is only one of several profound shifts occuring in global energy markets.
Equally profound, though less reported, was the fundemental shift in the role of renewables in electricity generation. Here are just a few of the highlights:
- Renewables (mostly wind and solar) account for almost half (47%) of the global increase in power generation between now and 2035.
- By 2025 renewables will be the second largest source of electricity worldwide, providing 27% of all electricity compared to coal at 36%.
- In the U.S. by 2025, renewables will provide 18% of total electricity, third behind coal and natural gas. However, renewables will surpass coal to become second only to natural gas in terms of total U.S. generating capacity.
There’s no doubt about it when you look at the data. We’ve entered the era of mainstream renewable energy–an era when renewables play a leading role in generating the electric power we use every day.
Just as there is a fundamental shift in production of oil and gas, a fundamental change has also occured in the last few years for renewables. It is no longer appropriate to call renewables ‘alternative’ or ‘new’ because they’re solidly in the middle of the conventional energy mix.
5 Comments on "Beyond Oil: IEA Report Confirms Leading Role for Renewables"
GregT on Wed, 5th Dec 2012 12:57 am
“Equally profound, though less reported, was the fundemental shift in the role of renewables in electricity generation.”
And back in 2035 the shift was very profound indeed, even though it was less reported.
“There’s no doubt about it when you look at the data.”
Yup, that’s some pretty amazing data right there!
BillT on Wed, 5th Dec 2012 1:21 am
I love all these charts projecting dreams into the future 5 or 10 or 20 years when we don’t even know what is going to happen next year. It’s all ‘feel good’ propaganda by the shills of corporations. Dreams of a continuing economy that makes a few wealthy and the rest serfs.
Kenz300 on Wed, 5th Dec 2012 1:26 am
Wind, solar, wave energy, geothermal and second generation biofuels made from algae, cellulose and waste are the future.
The price of oil, coal and nuclear keep rising.
The price of wind and solar keep dropping
Easy choice.
Kenz300 on Wed, 5th Dec 2012 5:24 pm
Climate change is real.
There needs to be an end to building more coal fired power plants.
The transition to safe, clean alternative energy sources needs to speed up.
GregT on Thu, 6th Dec 2012 5:51 am
Yes Kenz,
It is the future, but it will not be by choice, it will be by attrition, and it won’t be pleasant.