By 2050 new renewables could power 40 percent of global electricity requirements

Saturday, 14 March 2009 08:55

Research presented by Peter Lund of the Helsinki University of Technology’s Advanced Energy Systems in Finland, indicated, that with adequate financial and political support, renewable energy technologies such as photovoltaics and wind could supply 40 percent of the world’s electricity by 2050.

These were the findings which he presented at the International Scientific Congress “Climate Change: Global Risks, Challenges and Decisions.” Should such technologies be marginalised then it would more likely result in a lower rate of around 15 percent.

Lund said, “If we prioritise and recognize the value of renewable energy technologies, their potential to supply us with the energy we need is tremendous. Our findings demonstrate that with global political support and financial investment, previous notions that the potential for renewables was in some way limited to a negligible fraction of world demand were wrong.”

According to Erik Lundtag Petersen of Risoe DTU’s Wind Energy Department in Denmark, there needs to be a focus of efficient delivery, installing and connecting large amounts of wind power to the grid, with a real concern for reliability, availability and accessibility of turbines, in order for the wind sector to deliver its full potential.

From the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in Lancaster in the UK, Jeanette Whitaker’s research within biofuels and biomass showed that second generation biofuels, such as ethanol from woody crops/ straw, had substantially lower energy requirements and greenhouse gas emissions than those made from foodstuffs such as wheat and sugar beet.

Whitaker said, “These findings are important and relevant, as the current biofuel debate has centred on the issue of competing need for crops to be used for food versus fuel.”

At the International Scientific Congress on Climate Change in Copenhagen which took place from the 10-12 March findings such as these were presented by researchers from over 70 countries. The congress received over 1 600 scientific contributions from researchers worldwide.

The purpose of the congress has been to update our present knowledge of climate change and how to address the challenges and opportunities ahead. The results are to be presented to world leaders at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen later in the year.

The preliminary findings from the March congress will be developed into a synthesis report to be published in June. This report will be handed to all participants at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 15) by the Danish Government in Copenhagen in December this year.

The congress is organised by the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU).

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