RENEWABLE ENERGY - SUMMARY PAPER FOR THE RENEWABLES SERIES

Since January 1991, a series of 25 papers has been published in Energy Policy on the subject of renewable energy. In this summary paper, the guest editor for the series draws together the main conclusions from these papers and assesses the prospects for significant contributions to world energy supply from the renewable energy technologies in the 21st century. Generally speaking, it has been argued that these prospects are good, both technically and economically. In addition, there is a nascent shift of emphasis within policy-making arenas stimulated by the potential environmental advantages of renewable energy, which suggests that these options will be given increasing importance even within the next few years. At the same time, it is recognized that some significant impediments must be overcome before the actual contribution from renewables reaches a level justifiable on the basis of their potential. Some at least of these impediments are attitudinal and institutional. The power of conventional fuel lobbies and the inertia of the existing infrastructure often militate against innovation in energy supply. Nevertheless, the author argues that some of these institutional obstacles have quite specific economic manifestations, which need to be overcome, using appropriate economic and institutional policies. Provided these difficulties are tackled constructively, renewable energy presents considerable hope for a cleaner, safer and more sustainable energy future.