80% Renewable Energy is Achievable

A recent report compiled by over 120 experts and approved by member countries of the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), found that renewable sources of energy could meet 80% of global energy demands by 2050.

The report found that using renewable energy sources like wind and solar could significantly reduce energy demands by 2050 if supported by public policies. This data is based on business-as-usual energy projections. The report went on to say that by sourcing a large portion of the global energy supply from renewables, this action could also cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by a third by mid-century and could prevent the global temperature from increasing 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit.

With this said, making a commitment to build the needed capacity for renewable energy is not an easy one. Professor Ottmar Edenhofer, co-chair of the report’s working group shared that, “renewable energy sources can contribute substantially to human well-being by sustainably supplying energy and stabilizing the climate. However, the substantial increase of renewables is technically and politically very challenging.”

Renewable energy production is growing but there is still a long way to go to get to the critical mass needed to stabilize temperatures and reduce GHGs. To put this into perspective, in 2008, only 12.9 percent of our global energy supply came from renewable energy. Biofuels and biomass, that includes burning organic matter to produce energy, produced 10.2 percent of the energy supply.

What this report provides me, is data that points to real hope that our country and the world can realistically produce a majority of our energy through renewables in the near future. The only way this will happen is through sustained investments in clean energy development, supportive legislation and continuous demand from the public for cleaner energy options. Let’s do our part to make this happen.

View the full report.

Megan Brown is Director of Product Marketing for Renewable Choice.