Clean energy technologies are not being deployed quickly enough, the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned on the launch of its annual report.
The report, Tracking Clean Energy Progress, is being presented at the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) summit in London.
“We have a responsibility and a golden opportunity to act,” said IEA deputy executive director ambassador Richard H. Jones. “Energy-related CO2 emissions are at historic highs; under current policies, we estimate that energy use and CO2 emissions would increase by a third by 2020, and almost double by 2050.”
If no action is taken, these increases are likely to send global temperatures at least 6°C higher, he warned.
But rapid leaps forward in technology are possible, says the report. The IEA cites the progress made in solar panels for homes and businesses, which have seen costs drop 75% in as little as three years in some places driving a 42% growth in the sector. Onshore wind has also seen average annual growth of 27% over the past decade.
However, not all clean energy technologies are on track. One of the pet hopes of the IEA - CCS, has not been able to make any progress. And enough is not being made of the ‘hidden fuel’ – energy efficiency, it adds.
Technologies are available but need to be tested adequately before being deployed. After the big brouhaha over CFLs now there is a growing groundswell against the technology and its mercury contaimination. After all a good T5 tubelight is any day better, we are being told after we brought them down to replace with CFLs. Deployments of renewables is not without its share of problems. Conservation and efficiency would seem the best bet for now.
The report, Tracking Clean Energy Progress, is being presented at the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) summit in London.
“We have a responsibility and a golden opportunity to act,” said IEA deputy executive director ambassador Richard H. Jones. “Energy-related CO2 emissions are at historic highs; under current policies, we estimate that energy use and CO2 emissions would increase by a third by 2020, and almost double by 2050.”
If no action is taken, these increases are likely to send global temperatures at least 6°C higher, he warned.
But rapid leaps forward in technology are possible, says the report. The IEA cites the progress made in solar panels for homes and businesses, which have seen costs drop 75% in as little as three years in some places driving a 42% growth in the sector. Onshore wind has also seen average annual growth of 27% over the past decade.
However, not all clean energy technologies are on track. One of the pet hopes of the IEA - CCS, has not been able to make any progress. And enough is not being made of the ‘hidden fuel’ – energy efficiency, it adds.
Technologies are available but need to be tested adequately before being deployed. After the big brouhaha over CFLs now there is a growing groundswell against the technology and its mercury contaimination. After all a good T5 tubelight is any day better, we are being told after we brought them down to replace with CFLs. Deployments of renewables is not without its share of problems. Conservation and efficiency would seem the best bet for now.
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