33 Around 850 utilities in the U.S. offer consumers the option to purchase renewable energy, or “green power.” 34 Although renewable facilities require upfront investments to build, they can then operate at very low cost (for most clean energy technologies, the “fuel” is free). National renewable energy action plans 2020. Global warming is one symptom of climate change, the term scientists now prefer to describe the complex shifts affecting our planet’s weather and climate systems. The consumption of electricity from renewable sources was also high in Denmark (65 %), Portugal (54 %) and Latvia (53 %), accounting for more than half of electricity consumed. Renewable Energy covers research in the following areas: Biomass Conversion Another problem with wind turbines is that they’re a danger for birds and bats, killing hundreds of thousands annually, not as many as from glass collisions and other threats like habitat loss and invasive species, but enough that engineers are working on solutions to make them safer for flying wildlife. With more than half of energy from renewable sources in its gross final consumption of energy, Sweden (56.4 %) had by far the highest share among the EU Member States in 2019, ahead of Finland (43.1 %), Latvia (41.0 %), Denmark (37.2 %) and Austria (33.6 %). The EU seeks to have a 20 % share of its gross final energy consumption from renewable sources by 2020; this target is distributed between the EU Member States with national action plans designed to plot a pathway for the development of renewable energies in each of the Member States. The first U.S. offshore wind farm opened in 2016 in Rhode Island, and other offshore projects are gaining momentum. The EU agreed to set a common target of 10 % for the share of renewable energy (including liquid biofuels, hydrogen, biomethane, ‘green’ electricity, etc.) Solar, wind, hydropower, and other renewable energy sources currently account for a small share of global energy. There are five main forms of renewable energy: solar, wind, water, biofuel and geothermal (heat from the earth). Examples of renewable sources are: biomass (wood, wood waste, municipal solid waste, landfill gas, ethanol and biodiesel), water (hydropower), wind and solar. Some people may object to how wind turbines look on the horizon and to how they sound, but wind energy, whose prices are declining, is proving too valuable a resource to deny. Find out more about solar power - and learn how this renewable resource harnesses the power of the sun into usable energy. Data for 2011 onwards: Compliance with Article 17 (Sustainability criteria for biofuels and bioliquids) has to be assessed with respect to Article 18 (Verification of compliance with the sustainability criteria for biofuels and bioliquids). The new regulatory framework includes a binding renewable energy target for the EU for 2030 of 32 % with an upwards revision clause by 2023. What are solar cells, and how do they work? As some countries have not yet fully implemented all provisions of the Renewable Energy Directive, some biofuels and bioliquids are not counted as compliant (sustainable) in the period 2011-2015. Renewable energy is useful energy that is collected from renewable resources, which are naturally replenished on a human timescale, including carbon neutral sources like sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves, and geothermal heat. Renewable Energy is no longer a niche sector of novel technologies, and we have now implemented renewable energy to a scale where it is expected to provide 50% of global power in the next few decades. For more detailed definition, please see SHARES tool manual. In January 2014, the European Commission put forward a set of energy and climate goals for 2030 with the aim of encouraging private investment in infrastructure and low-carbon technologies. The Communication proposes five dimensions for the strategy, one of which is decarbonising the economy. While hydropower is theoretically a clean energy source replenished by rain and snow, it also has several drawbacks. They include energy generated from solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, hydropower and ocean resources, solid biomass, biogas and liquid biofuels. Watch the World's First Floating Wind Farm Ride the Waves. Prepare yourself for our top 10 must-know renewable energy facts... 1. Fossil fuels—coal, oil, and natural gas—do substantially more harm than renewable energy sources by most measures, including air and water pollution, damage to public health, wildlife and habitat loss, water use, land use, and global warming emissions.. Demand for energy – for heat, light, power and transportation – is increasing rapidly. Aerothermal, geothermal and hydrothermal heat energy captured by heat pumps for heating purposes is taken into account. It also doesn't encompass other low- or zero-emissions resources that have their own advocates, including energy efficiency and nuclear power. All calculations take into account specific provisions as in place in Directive 2009/28/EC following its amendment by Directive (EU) 2015/1513 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 September 2015 amending Directive 98/70/EC relating to the quality of petrol and diesel fuels and amending Directive 2009/28/EC on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources. From solar to wind, find out more about alternative energy, the fastest-growing source of energy in the world–and how we can use it to combat climate change. Biomass: Biomass energy includes biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel, wood and wood waste, biogas from landfills, and municipal solid waste. Energy sources are either renewable, meaning they can easily be replenished, or nonrenewable, meaning they draw on finite resources.Learn about renewable energy resources and how we can use nonrenewable energy sources more efficiently. Progress reports. That's because renewable energy sources such as solar and wind don't emit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. Types of renewable energy sources Hydropower: For centuries, people have harnessed the energy of river currents, using dams to control water flow. Among the EU-27 Member States, more than 70 % of electricity consumed in 2019 was generated from renewable sources in Austria (75 %) and Sweden (71 %). Drought can also cause problems. The European Commission has set out several energy strategies for a more secure, sustainable and low-carbon economy. As of reference year 2011, countries are to report as compliant only those biofuels and bioliquids for which compliance with both Article 17 and Article 18 can be fully demonstrated. At least 29 U.S. states have set renewable portfolio standards—policies that mandate a certain percentage of energy from renewable sources, More than 100 cities worldwide now boast at least 70 percent renewable energy, and still others are making commitments to reach 100 percent. The growth in electricity generated from renewable energy sources during the period 2009 to 2019 largely reflects an expansion in three renewable energy sources across the EU, principally wind power, but also solar power and solid biofuels (including renewable wastes). To achieve this, on 11 December 2019 the European Commission presented the European Green Deal (COM(2019) 640 final), the most ambitious package of measures that should enable European citizens and businesses to benefit from sustainable green transition. Energy Basics. Dams aren't the only way to use water for power: Tidal and wave energy projects around the world aim to capture the ocean's natural rhythms. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) produces comprehensive, reliable data sets on renewable energy capacity and use worldwide. Like solar power, biomass is a flexible energy source, able to fuel vehicles, heat buildings, and produce electricity. While most wind power comes from onshore turbines, offshore projects are appearing too, with the most in the U.K. and Germany. At the opposite end of the scale, the lowest proportions of renewables were registered in Luxembourg (7.0 %), Malta (8.5 %), the Netherlands (8.8 %) and Belgium (9.9 %). If you haven’t heard about hydrogen and … In the western U.S., carbon dioxide emissions over a 15-year period were 100 megatons higher than they normally would have been, according to a 2018 study, as utilities turned to coal and gas to replace hydropower lost to drought. But Croatia is not the only case. The share of renewables in gross final energy consumption stood at 19.7 % in the EU-27 in 2019, compared with 9.6 % in 2004. The use of renewable energy has many potential benefits, including a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, the diversification of energy supplies and a reduced dependency on fossil fuel markets (in particular, oil and gas). 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