The Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN 21), along with the Worldwatch Institute released their annual Renewables 2007 Global Status Report.  It gives us some hope that the use of renewable energy is indeed accelerating.  For example, 2007 was the first year in which more than a billion dollars was invested in renewable energy capacity, manufacturing plants and research and development.  I think this is the best evidence yet for my belief that 2007 was really the global tipping point in environmental consciousness and as a planet we are now ready to repare the damage we have done. 


We have a long way to go but lets look at the numbers from the report:

Renewable electricity generation capacity reached an estimated 240 gigawatts (GW) worldwide in 2007, an increase of 50 percent over 2004.  Renewables represent 5 percent of global power capacity and 3.4 percent ofglobal power generation.biodiesel production increased by more than 50 percent in 2006.

The largest component of renewables generation capacity is wind power, which grew by 28 percent worldwide in 2007 to reach an estimated 95 GW.

The fastest growing energy technology in the world is grid-connected solar photovoltaics(PV), with 50 percent annual increases in cumulative installed capacity in both 2006 and 2007,to an estimated 7.7GW.  This translates into 1.5 million homes with rooftop solar PV feeding into the grid worldwide.

Rooftop solar heat collectorsprovide hot water to nearly 50 million households worldwide, and space heating to a growing number ofhomes.  Existing solar hot water/heating capacity increased by 19 percent in 2006 to reach 105 gigawatts-thermal globally.
 
Renewable energy, especially small hydropower, biomass, and solar PV, provides electricity, heat, motive power, and water pumping for tens of millions ofpeople in rural areas ofdeveloping countries, serving agriculture, small industry, homes, schools, and community needs.  Twentyfive million households cook and light their homes with biogas, and 2.5 million households use solar lighting systems.

Developing countriesas a group have more than 40 percent ofexisting renewable power capacity, more than 70 percent ofexisting solar hot water capacity, and 45 percent of biofuels production.

Policy targets for renewable energy exist in at least 66 countries worldwide, including all 27 European Union countries, 29 U.S.states (and D.C.), and 9 Canadian provinces.

Importantly, the report also shows investment in renewables is diversifying showing that their is no silver bullet for clean energy but many solutions, all of which must be taken advantage of.

These developments are great and we need to compliment them by living more earth friendly lifestyles ourselves.  Things are on the right track but, like I said above, we have a long way to go.  Just check out the below graph.

(via sustainablog)