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Chapter 11 - Renewable Energy
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- By Wim Turkenburg, Utrecht University, Doug J. Arent, National Renewable Energy laboratory, Ruggero Bertani, Enel Green Power S.p.A., Andre Faaij, Utrecht University, Maureen Hand, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Wolfram Krewitt, German Air and Space Agency, Eric D. Larson, Princeton University and Climate Central, John Lund, Geo-Heat Center, Oregon Institute of Technology, Mark Mehos, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Tim Merrigan, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Catherine Mitchell, University of Exeter, José Roberto Moreira, Biomass Users Network, Wim Sinke, Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands, Virginia Sonntag-O'Brien, REN21, Bob Thresher, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Wilfried van Sark, Utrecht University, Eric Usher, United Nations Environment Programme, Dan Bilello, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Helena Chum, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Diana Kraft, REN21, Philippe Lempp, German Development Ministry, Jeff Logan, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Lau Saili, International Hydropower Association, Niels B. Schulz, International Institute for Applied systems Analysis, Austria and Imperial College, Aaron Smith, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Richard Taylor, International Hydropower Association, Craig Turchi, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Jürgen Schmid, Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy and Energy System Technology
- Global Energy Assessment Writing Team
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- Book:
- Global Energy Assessment
- Published online:
- 05 September 2012
- Print publication:
- 27 August 2012, pp 761-900
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Summary
Executive Summary
Renewable energy sources – including biomass, geothermal, ocean, solar, and wind energy, as well as hydropower – have a huge potential to provide energy services for the world. The renewable energy resource base is sufficient to meet several times the present world energy demand and potentially even 10 to 100 times this demand. This chapter includes an in-depth examination of technologies to convert these renewable energy sources to energy carriers that can be used to fulfill our energy needs, including their installed capacity, the amount of energy carriers they produced in 2009, the current state of market and technology development, their economic and financial feasibility in 2009 and in the near future, as well as major issues they may face relative to their sustainability or implementation.
Present uses of renewable energy
Since 1990 the energy provided from renewable sources worldwide has risen at an average rate of nearly 2% a year, but in recent years this rate has increased to about 5% annually (see Figure 11.1.) As a result, the global contribution of renewables has increased from about 74 EJ in 2005 to about 89 EJ in 2009 and represents now 17% of global primary energy supply (528 EJ, see Figure 11.2). Most of this renewable energy comes from the traditional use of biomass (about 39 EJ) and larger-scale hydropower (about 30 EJ), while other renewable technologies provided about 20 EJ.
Chapter 2 - Bioenergy
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- By Helena Chum, Andre Faaij, José Moreira, Göran Berndes, Parveen Dhamija, Hongmin Dong, Benoît Gabrielle, Alison Goss Eng, Wolfgang Lucht, Maxwell Mapako, Omar Masera Cerutti, Terry McIntyre, Tomoaki Minowa, Kim Pingoud, Richard Bain, Ranyee Chiang, David Dawe, Garvin Heath, Martin Junginger, Martin Patel, Joyce Yang, Ethan Warner, David Paré, Suzana Kahn Ribeiro
- Edited by Ottmar Edenhofer, Ramón Pichs-Madruga, Youba Sokona, Kristin Seyboth, Susanne Kadner, Timm Zwickel, Patrick Eickemeier, Gerrit Hansen, Steffen Schlömer, Christoph von Stechow, Patrick Matschoss
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- Book:
- Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation
- Published online:
- 05 December 2011
- Print publication:
- 21 November 2011, pp 209-332
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Summary
Executive Summary
Bioenergy has a significant greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation potential, provided that the resources are developed sustainably and that efficient bioenergy systems are used. Certain current systems and key future options including perennial cropping systems, use of biomass residues and wastes and advanced conversion systems are able to deliver 80 to 90% emission reductions compared to the fossil energy baseline. However, land use conversion and forest management that lead to a loss of carbon stocks (direct) in addition to indirect land use change (d+iLUC) effects can lessen, and in some cases more than neutralize, the net positive GHG mitigation impacts. Impacts of climate change through temperature increases, rainfall pattern changes and increased frequency of extreme events will influence and interact with biomass resource potential. This interaction is still poorly understood, but it is likely to exhibit strong regional differences. Climate change impacts on biomass feedstock production exist but if global temperature rise is limited to less than 2°C compared with the pre-industrial record, it may pose few constraints. Combining adaptation measures with biomass resource production can offer more sustainable opportunities for bioenergy and perennial cropping systems.
Biomass is a primary source of food, fodder and fibre and as a renewable energy (RE) source provided about 10.2% (50.3 EJ) of global total primary energy supply (TPES) in 2008. Traditional use of wood, straws, charcoal, dung and other manures for cooking, space heating and lighting by generally poorer populations in developing countries accounts for about 30.7 EJ, and another 20 to 40% occurs in unaccounted informal sectors including charcoal production and distribution.