Renewable Energy as an Investment Top Countries
Posted on November 25th, 2008
Several people have invested into the clean, renewable energy in recent years. During the year of 2007, global wind energy capacity grew by 27% and solar energy sales grew an estimated of 50%.
A report coming from the Ernst & Young offers insight into where future growth is likely to occur by examining a variety of indices including long-term wind, near-term wind and all renewables. These are top five prime nations for renewable energy investment:
1. United States
United States has particularly on the top where onshore wind, solar and infrastructure. The sheer size of the country provides an advantage with abundant wind, solar, and agricultural resources. It is the 2nd place for installed wind energy capacity and 4th place for total installed solar PV capacity.
2. Germany
Despite a taking second place, Germany overcomes US in the offshore wind, solar and biomass. German Legislation includes feed-in-tariffs guaranteed rate for electricity generated from solar energy. Germany was the leading nation for both wind and solar energy and became the leading solar PV producer in 2007.
3. India
Just behind Germany, India scores high for onshore wind and infrastructure, but lags considerably behind the U.S. and Germany for its offshore wind. India sees the considerable growth in hydropower, with plans for 143 projects totally 20 GW of generation capacity. India is coming forth being the highest capacity for wind energy.
4. Spain
United Kingdom and Spain both tied for the forth place but Spain scored well for onshore wind and solar energy and much lower in the offshore wind energy. The Spanish government recently boosted the solar industry by agreeing to subsidize the first solar capacity installed. Spain ranked 2nd after Germany for new solar PV installations in 2007 and a third placer just behind the US for the total installed wind energy capacity.
5. United Kingdom
United Kingdom has the highest score in offshore wind but had a weak score for solar energy. The requirement to generate 15% of electricity from eligible renewable resources by 2015 has fueled the renewable obligation certificates market.
So there is no Philippines in the list. Don’t wait for our government. Let’s act on ourselves and innovate and act on it.
This past year Americans have watched, with anguish, as our country seemingly fell apart before our very eyes. Everyone knows we are in deep despair but no one seems to be able to agree on what to do about it. So focus and blame has been given to the mortgage crisis high cost of fuel and it’s part on the downward spiral of our economy somehow got lost in the big picture. That matter alone caused serious damage to our economy and society. Most families broke the budget at the pump alone. Consumer goods in every capacity from production to shipping passed the increased costs on to us. (and most products now cost more and come in smaller packages) Electric companies sought and were granted huge price increases. We cut back, quit going out to eat as much or at all, quit spending on frills and even necessities, that sadly resulted in even more jobs being lost. It has been a real catch-22 in the economy. Record numbers of jobs and homes are being lost still. Unemployment is climbing every day. While most of the public seem to be doing the happy dance around the lower prices at the pumps, and reporters are reporting the happy dance, little is being reported about OPEC’s plans to keep cutting production, and they will until they get prices back up where they want them to be. The average family is so far behind they will never get caught up. Jeff Wilson has an interesting book just out called The Manhattan Project of 2009 Energy Independence NOW. http://www.themanhattanprojectof2009.com It examines every facet of our dependence on foreign oil, it’s depletion and what alternative energy sources can be used to take the place of oil. He even outlines essential legislation America needs to put into place to support our energy independence. This book is profoundly informative! Every member our government needs to read this book along with our school children. I think we are going about this whole thing wrong. We keep spending billions on bailouts and stimulus checks. Why not invest in alternative energy, creating improved grids and infrastructures, and creating millions of badly needed new green collar jobs? The last stimulus package cost us 168 BILLION and did NOTHING to stimulate our economy. That would have gone a long way toward starting up alternative energy projects and creating new jobs.
Check out what they are doing in California. This is so exciting for those who realize the importance of seeing out country transform away from fossil fuels and to cleaner, cheaper electric cars. I read about this concept in Wilson’s book but quite frankly thought such things were a bit futuristic. I was thrilled and surprised to see the things he outlined in the plans for energy independence in his book already beginning to take place. Better Place web site has news on their projects, a place to sign a petition to have similar projects come to your area and other ways to become involved http://www.betterplace.com/ http://www.betterplace.com/ning_assets/petition.php It is indeed exciting to be living in this historical time of seeing America begin it’s journey on the road to energy independence!