Renewable energy worldwide

Renewable energy is a promising technology: It provides a secure and climate-protecting energy supply, creates development opportunities and new jobs. The renewable energy industry provides more than 2.4 million jobs worldwide. In 2007, more than 118 billion dollars (80 bln euro) were invested in green technologies.

The International Energy Agency IEA assumes that by 2030 more than one quarter of worldwide primary energy consumption can be covered by renewable energy. Studies by Greenpeace/EREC (2007) and the Federal Government's German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU) show that by 2050, renewable energy can cover half the worldwide power supply.

The absolute contribution of renewable energy to worldwide energy production has been continuously increasing for years. But in percentage terms it remains at around 13 percent. On the one hand increasing energy consumption eats up the continuous growth in renewable energy. On the other hand, political and economic hurdles prevent it from developing its full power. Therefore, substantial efforts are still necessary to make the potential of renewable energy usable.