Renewable energy will surpass gas as the second largest source of electricity by 2012, according to the latest report by the International Energy Agency (IEA).

World Energy Outlook 2008 states that only coal will produce more electricity than renewables three years from now, and that is taking into account an economic slowdown, the Paris-based agency said.

"Renewables-based electricity generation is expected to grow substantially over the coming decades, benefiting from high fossil-fuel prices, declining investment costs and government support," said the report.

The IEA said renewables will take the second-place spot behind coal, even if governments are slow to create legislative incentives for a transition to a low-carbon economy.

However, the bad news is the report states that carbon dioxide emissions from energy production will rise by 45% by 2030, unless current trends are dramatically shifted.

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Twelve percent of the world's energy needs could come from wind by 2020 and 30% by 2050, according to a new report.

The 'Global Wind Energy Outlook 2008,' published by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) and Greenpeace International, looks at the global potential of wind power and found that it could play a key part in achieving the dramatic shift needed to reduce emissions by 2020, which the IPCC indicates is necessary to avoid the worst consequences of climate change.

The report explores three different scenarios for wind power--a Reference Scenario based on figures from the IEA; a Moderate version that assumes that current targets for renewable energy are successful; and an Advanced Scenario that assumes that all policy options in favour of renewables have been adopted. These are then set against two demand projections for global energy demand.

"We only have a few years to achieve a decline in global CO2 emissions and wind power is going to have to play a major part in that. No other technology can come close to delivering the required new power generation capacity without emissions in that time frame," said GWEC Secretary General Steve Sawyer.

Link to the report below.

Website: http://www.gwec.net/fileadmin/docume...