The renewable energy industry is stepping up its meteoric rise into the mainstream of the energy sector, according to the REN21 Renewables 2007 Global Status Report. Renewable energy production capacities are growing rapidly as a result of more countries enacting far-reaching policies.

Prepared by the Renewable Energy Network for the 21st Century (REN21)  in collaboration with the Worldwatch Institute, the Renewables 2007 Global Status Report paints an encouraging picture of rapidly expanding renewable energy markets, policies, industries, and rural applications around the world. In 2007, global wind generating capacity is estimated to have increased 28 percent, while grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity rose 52 percent.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In 2007, more than $100 billion was invested in new renewable energy capacity, manufacturing plants, and research and development—a true global milestone. Yet perceptions lag behind the reality of renewable energy because change has been so rapid in recent years. This report captures that reality and provides an overview of the status of renewable energy worldwide in 2007. The report covers trends in markets, investments, industries, policies, and rural (off-grid) renewable energy. (By design, the report does not provide analysis, discuss current issues, or forecast the future.) Many of the trends reflect increasing significance relative to conventional energy.

❏ 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 of global power generation. (Figures exclude large hydropower, which itself was 15 percent of global power generation.)

❏ Renewable energy generated as much electric power worldwide in 2006 as one-quarter of the world’s nuclear power plants, not counting large hydropower. (And more than nuclear counting large hydropower.)

❏ The largest component of renewables generation capacity is wind power, which grew by 28 percent worldwide in 2007 to reach an estimated 95 GW. Annual capacity additions increased even more: 40 percent higher in 2007 compared to 2006.

❏ 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 7.7 GW. This translates into 1.5 million homes with rooftop solar PV feeding into the grid worldwide.

❏ Rooftop solar heat collectors provide hot water to nearly 50 million households worldwide, and space heating to a growing number of homes. Existing solar hot water/heating capacity increased by 19 percent in 2006 to reach 105 gigawatts-thermal (GWth) globally.

❏ Biomass and geothermal energy are commonly employed for both power and heating, with recent increases in a number of countries, including uses for district heating.More than 2 million groundsource heat pumps are used in 30 countries for building heating and cooling.

❏ Production of biofuels (ethanol and biodiesel) exceeded an estimated 53 billion liters in 2007, up 43 percent from 2005. Ethanol production in 2007 represented about 4 percent of the 1,300 billion liters of gasoline consumed globally. Annual biodiesel production increased by more than 50 percent in 2006.

❏ Renewable energy, especially small hydropower, biomass, and solar PV, provides electricity, heat, motive power, and water pumping for tens of millions of people in rural areas of developing countries, serving agriculture, small industry, homes, schools, and community needs. Twenty-five million households cook and light their homes with biogas, and 2.5 million households use solar lighting systems.

❏ Developing countries as a group have more than 40 percent of existing renewable power capacity, more than 70 percent of existing solar hot water capacity, and 45 percent of biofuels production. ...

Visit REN21 Renewables 2007 Global Status Report Download Page

You can download full report in PDF format.

CONTENTS
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Selected Indicators and Top Five Countries . . . . . . . 8
1. Global Market Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2. Investment Flows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
3. Industry Trends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
4. Policy Landscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Policy Targets for Renewable Energy . . . . . . . . . . 21
Power Generation Promotion Policies . . . . . . . . . 22
Solar Hot Water/Heating Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Biofuels Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Green Power Purchasing and Renewable
Electricity Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Municipal Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
5. Rural (Off-Grid) Renewable Energy . . . . . . . . . . 32
Reference Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Endnotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Visit Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21) Website

Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century

REN21 is a global policy network in which ideas are shared and action is encouraged to promote renewable energy. It provides a forum for leadership and exchange in international policy processes. It bolsters appropriate policies that increase the wise use of renewable energies in developing and industrialized economies.

Open to a wide variety of dedicated stakeholders, REN21 connects governments, international institutions, nongovernmental organizations, industry associations, and other partnerships and initiatives. Linking actors from the energy, development, and environment communities, REN21 leverages their successes and strengthens their influence for the rapid expansion of renewable energy worldwide.

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