Jeremy Leggett: It

Prospects for renewable energy have never looked better, even in the face of recession. But the new technologies are growing so fast they are beginning to threaten the old. Some defenders of conventional energy have started to argue against renewables, citing fears about growth.

In

2008,

for

the

first

time,

both

the
EU

and

the

US

added
more

capacity

from

renewables

than

from

fossil-

fuel

and

nuclear

sources.

From end-2004 to end-2008, total global power capacity from new renewables increased 75 per cent to 280 gigawatts, including a six-fold increase in solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity to more than 16 gigawatts, and a 250 per cent increase in wind power capacity to 121 gigawatts. Wind power capacity grew 29 per cent, with the US overtaking Germany. China was not far behind, doubling capacity for the fifth year running.

FT.com