The need to diversify away from fossil fuel generation due to concerns over energy security, fuel price volatility, and the climate challenge is driving the deployment of nonconventional renewable (wind, small hydro, solar, tidal, geothermal, and in some cases waste) or green energy worldwide (in this article, these will all be termed renewable energy). Developed countries have seen renewable energy as a key tool for emission reduction as well as for energy independency, eventually reducing reliance on oil, gas, and coal imports. In developing countries, renewable sources have been largely limited to conventional hydro plants. Over the past decade, the primary objective of increasing the populations access to electricity has combined with budget constraints to prevent these countries from making renewable energy a priority. This situation is, however, changing; renewable energy has begun the new decade with a fast penetration in these countries, due to increasing awareness about the crucial role of clean energy supply and pressure to go along with to worldwide efforts in this direction. © 2006 IEEE.
