Energy department analyses global generation from renewables

WASHINGTON, DC, US, July 6, 2005 (Refocus Weekly) El Salvador and the Philippines are the two leading countries for the share of electricity generation from non-hydro renewable energies.

El Salvador generated 960 million kWh of net power from geothermal, wind, solar, wood and waste in 2002, which was 25% of its total national generation, according to a U.S. Department of Energy analysis of its latest 'International Energy Annual.' The Philippines used emerging renewables to generate 9.7 billion kWh, which was 21% of its total net output.

The global average in 2002 was 1.9%, with non-hydro renewables generating 292 b-kWh out of a world electricity total of 15,363 b-kWh. Conventional thermal was the highest source at 9,905 b-kWh, with hydroelectric at 2,619 and nuclear at 2,546 b-kWh.

The country with the highest net generation from non-hydro renewables was the United States, at 92.6 b-kWh, which was 2% of its national power output of 4,654 b-kWh. Japan was second with 27.9 b-kWh and Germany close behind with 27.5 b-kWh. Brazil (14.6 b-kWh) and Spain (12.6 b-kWh) completed the top five countries for net generation from those five sources.

Of the global output of 292 b-kWh, North America accounted for 106.7 b-kWh compared with 98.1 b-kWh for western Europe. Asia and Oceania contributed 59.2, Central and South American was 22.5, eastern Europe and former USSR was 4.5, Africa was 1.06 and the Middle East had 0.01 b-kWh from renewables, most of which was in Israel.

The installed capacity of geothermal, wind, solar, wood and waste generation facilities has grown from 4.9 million kWh in 1980 to 62.2 m-kWh at the start of 2003, the report notes.

Western Europe grew from 0.8 to 29.2 m-kWh while North America went from 1.5 to 20.2 m-kWh of capacity. Germany (12.3 m-kWh) and the U.S. (17.9) were the top countries on each continent. Asia and Oceania grew to 7.4, Central and South America to 5.1, eastern Europe to 0.2, Africa to 0.2
and the Middle East grew to 0.006 m-kWh of capacity by 2003.

Global consumption of electricity from non-hydro renewables increased ten-fold from 31 b-kWh in 1980 to 310 b-kWh in 2003, the report shows. Western Europe grew from 13.4 to 110.4 35 b-kWh during that period, led by Germany with consumption of 31.4 in 2003, followed closely by North
America which grew from 7.6to 108.3 b-kWh over the period, led by the U.S. with 93.5 b-kWh in 2003.

Asia and Oceania consumed 60, Central and South America 25.7, eastern Europe 4.7, Africa 1 and the Middle East consumed 0.01b-kWh in 2003.

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