Bright Future for Green Energy

A study by the International Energy Agency (IEA) has predicted that solar power production will dramatically increase in the future.

Solar electricity could represent up to 20 per cent to 25 per cent of global electricity production by 2050 as more people use solar Photovoltaic (PV) and Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) technologies, according to the intergovernmental organisation.

Nobuo Tanaka, executive director of the IEA, said that the proliferation of solar power technology will provide great benefits for the energy industry and the environment.

"The combination of solar photovoltaics and concentrating solar power offers considerable prospects for enhancing energy security while reducing energy-related CO2 emissions by almost six billion tonnes per year by 2050," he said.

IEA studies into PV and CSP, detailed the milestones that the two solar generation technologies will pass before it reaches a stage of optimal electricity production a few decades from now.

The 'road map' study found that North America will be the largest producer of CSP, followed by North Africa and India, which may require more engineers to enrol in green energy courses to cope with the increased demand for CSP products.

Mr Tanaka went on to say that it is crucial that effective policies are introduced to encourage the development of solar electricity during the current decade.

"Long-term oriented, predictable solar-specific incentives are needed to sustain early deployment and bring both technologies to competitiveness in the most suitable locations and times," he added.

Robert Lockhart, from heating manufacturing company Vokera, told Heating and Plumbing Monthly magazine that Britain needs to stimulate more demand for green energy appliances.

The United Kingdom is falling behind its European neighbours in the battle to combat carbon emissions and is still a long way off meeting its target to generate 15 per cent of renewable energy by 2020, according to Mr Lockhart.

Tradesmen who have passed plumbing courses and electrical courses may need to take green energy courses in order to meet the demand for renewable products, according to Mr Lockhart.

Renewable heat technologies that are increasing in popularity in Britain include air and ground source heat pumps, biomass boilers, solar-thermal water heaters and combined heat and power plants.

Mr Lockhart told the magazine: "The tens-of-thousands of Gas Safe registered installers, who potentially have the transferable skill set to install solar thermal and air source heat pumps.".

Energy generated from renewable sources currently account for around one per cent of total heat demand in the UK.

The IEA was founded after the global energy crisis of the 1970s and currently acts as policy advisor to 28 countries.