A review of the experience of IEA countries after the oil crises in the 1970s, which initiated a surge of investments in renewables research and development. While use of renewables has grown rapidly, they still account for only a small portion of the IEA energy mix. This work examines policies...

Renewable energy has received high levels of attention in recent years as an alternative to traditional hydrocarbons. Governments, industry and consumers have adopted and promoted renewable technologies in response to concerns about energy security and the environment, and as a solution to...

Russia is rich not only in oil, gas and coal, but also in wind, hydro, geothermal, biomass and solar energy – the resources of renewable energy. However, fossil fuels dominate Russia’s current energy mix, while its abundant and diverse renewable energy resources play little role. What are...

As OECD countries emerge from the global financial crisis, several countries have published their plans for the development of a future bioeconomy, an economy in which bio-based materials and production techniques will contribute significantly to economic and environmental sustainability. Such...

Primary energy supply is defined as energy production plus energy imports, minus energy exports, minus international bunkers, then plus or minus stock changes. The International Energy Agency (IEA) energy balance methodology is based on the calorific content of the energy commodities and a...

Energy efficiency is widely recognised as the most cost-effective and readily available means to address numerous energy-related issues, including energy security, the social and economic impacts of high energy prices, and concerns about climate change. At the same time, energy efficiency...

A combination of rapidly increasing energy demand and fuel imports plus growing concern about economic and environmental consequences is generating growing calls for effective and thorough energy governance in India. Numerous policy reforms over the past 20 years have shifted the country’s...

This comprehensive survey of renewable energy RD&D is intended to provide guidance for the mid- and long-term development of renewable energy technologies. RD&D investment in renewable energy technologies has declined over the past 18 years. At the same time, market deployment funding has...

Responding to a Gleneagles G8 Summit request, this book shows how changes in energy efficiency, economic structure, income, prices and fuel mix have affected recent trends in energy use and CO2 emissions in IEA countries. The results are a “wake-up call” for us all. Since 1990, the rate of...

Deploying Renewables: Principles for Effective Policies examines the key factors that will determine the success of renewable energy policies and how current policies can be improved to encourage greater deployment of renewables. Responding to the Gleneagles G8 call for a clean and secure energy...