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Article: Renewable energy gains momentum: global markets and policies in the spotlight.
- Article from:
- Environment
- Article date:
- July 1, 2006
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 Heldref Publications. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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AS RENEWABLE energy markets accelerate and policies multiply around the world, so do the environmental benefits. Use of renewable energy avoided the release of an estimated 0.9 billion tons of carbon dioxide (C[O.sub.2]) emissions in 2004 and displaced about 3 percent of global power generation that would otherwise come from fossil fuels. (1) However, environmental impact is only part of the picture. The $39 billion invested in renewable energy capacity worldwide in 2005, up from $14 billion in 2000, underscores that renewable energy has become big business. This investment is a significant percentage of the roughly $150 billion invested in all forms of power generation ...