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Deploying Renewables 2011
The global energy system faces urgent challenges.
Concerns about energy security are growing, as
highlighted by the recent political turmoil in Northern
Africa and the nuclear incident in Fukushima. At the
same time, the need to respond to climate change is more
critical than ever. Against this background, many
governments have increased efforts to promote deployment
of renewable energy – low-carbon sources that can
strengthen energy security. This has stimulated
unprecedented rise in deployment, and renewables are now
the fastest growing sector of the energy mix.
This “coming of age” of renewable energy also brings
challenges. Growth is focused on a few of the available
technologies, and rapid deployment is confined to a
relatively small number of countries. In more advanced
markets, managing support costs and system integration
of large shares of renewable energy in a time of
economic weakness and budget austerity has sparked
vigorous political debate.
The IEA’s new report, Deploying Renewables 2011: Best
and Future Policy Practice:
• Provides a comprehensive review and analysis of
renewable energy policy and market trends; • Analyses in
detail the dynamics of deployment and provides
best-practice policy principles for different stages of
market maturity; • Assesses the impact and
cost-effectiveness of support policies using new
methodological tools and indicators; • Investigates the
strategic reasons underpinning the pursuit of RE
deployment by different countries and the prospects for
globalisation of RE.
This new book builds on and extends a 2008 IEA
publication, drawing on recent policy and deployment
experience world-wide. It provides guidance for policy
makers and other stakeholders to avoid past mistakes,
overcome new challenges and reap the benefits of
deploying renewables – today and tomorrow.
Solar Energy Perspectives
In 90 minutes, enough sunlight strikes the earth to
provide the entire planet's energy needs for one year.
While solar energy is abundant, it represents a tiny
fraction of the world’s current energy mix. But this is
changing rapidly and is being driven by global action to
improve energy access and supply security, and to
mitigate climate change.
Around the world, countries and companies are investing
in solar generation capacity on an unprecedented scale,
and, as a consequence, costs continue to fall and
technologies improve. This publication gives an
authoritative view of these technologies and market
trends, in both advanced and developing economies, while
providing examples of the best and most advanced
practices. It also provides a unique guide for policy
makers, industry representatives and concerned
stakeholders on how best to use, combine and
successfully promote the major categories of solar
energy: solar heating and cooling, photovoltaic and
solar thermal electricity, as well as solar fuels.
Finally, in analyzing the likely evolution of
electricity and energy-consuming sectors – buildings,
industry and transport – it explores the leading role
solar energy could play in the long-term future of our
energy system.
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