| New Delhi, One of the most debated topics today | | | | seen renewable energy technologies suchas wind |
| is the future scenario of energy use. The focus is | | | | turbines, solar photovoltaic panels, biomass power |
| now on a range of technologies that are | | | | plants and solar thermal collectors move steadily |
| expected to emerge in the coming years and | | | | into the mainstream. The global market for |
| decades. There is universal recognition of the fact | | | | renewable energy is growing dramatically; in 2006 |
| that new technologies and much greater use of | | | | its turnover was US$ 38 billion, 26% more than |
| some that already exist provide the most hopeful | | | | the previous year. |
| prospects for mitigation of emissions of gases | | | | Supplies of all fossil fuels - oil, gas and coal - are |
| that threatens our planet. | | | | becoming scarcer and more expensive to |
| The good news, experts agree, is that renewable | | | | produce. Uranium, the fuel for nuclear power, is |
| energy can deliver half of the world's energy | | | | also a finite resource. By contrast, the reserves |
| needs by 2050.Some reports show that it is | | | | of renewable energy that are technically |
| economically feasible to cut global CO2 emissions | | | | accessible globally are large enough to provide |
| by almost 50% within the next 43 years. They | | | | about six times more energy than the world |
| also agree that commercial production of | | | | currently consumes - forever. |
| renewable energy on large to massive scales is | | | | Renewable energy technologies vary widely in |
| technically possible. | | | | their technical and economic maturity, but there |
| Alongside global warming, other challenges have | | | | are a range of sources which offer increasingly |
| become just as pressing. Worldwide energy | | | | attractive options. These sources include wind, |
| demand is growing at a staggering rate. | | | | biomass, photovoltaic, solar thermal, geothermal, |
| Over-reliance on energy imports from a | | | | ocean and hydroelectric power. Their common |
| fewcountries and volatile oil and gas prices have | | | | feature is that they produce little or no |
| together pushed security of energy supply to the | | | | greenhouse gases, and rely on |
| top of the global energy-economy agenda. | | | | virtuallyinexhaustible natural sources for their "fuel". |
| Renewable energy is not a dream for the future - | | | | The forecast is that by 2050, 50% of primary |
| it is real, mature and can be deployed on a large | | | | energy demand in India will be covered by |
| scale. Decades of technological progress have | | | | renewable energy sources. |