G-20 Clean Energy Report


Countries with strong nationwide policy


frameworks, including renewable energy standards, carbon markets, priority loans for renewable energy projects and mandated clean energy targets, such as China, Brazil, Spain, UK and Germany, have the most robust clean energy sectors as a percentage of their economies. Countries without such policy frameworks including the US, Japan, and Australia lag behind. “The US competitive position is at risk in the


Table 1: Top 10 in Renewable Energy Capacity (GW)


USA China


Germany Spain India Japan


emerging clean energy economy,” according to Cuttino. The US has a critical choice to make: “... pass the federal policies necessary to position it as the world leader in the large and growing global clean energy market or continue to watch as China and other countries race ahead.” US clean energy finance and investments lagged behind 10


France Brazil


G-20 members in percentage of gross domestic product. For instance, in relative terms, Spain invested five times more than the US last year, and China and the UK three times more.


Demonstrating its strength, the clean energy sector declined only 6.6% in 2009


The US did lead G-20 members in venture capital and private


equity investments associated with technology innovation. However, it trailed in 2009 asset financing, with only US$11.2 bn, while China led with US$29.8 bn. According to the report, asset financing serves as a key barometer of clean energy deployment, job creation and business growth. Demonstrating its strength, the clean


energy sector declined only 6.6% in 2009 despite the worst financial downturn in over half a century. In an encouraging sign for the future, many governments prioritised clean energy within economic recovery funding, the bulk of which will reach innovators, businesses and installers in 2010 and 2011. Within the G-20, Pew’s research finds


that domestic policy decisions impact the competitive positions of member countries. Those nations – such as China, Brazil, the UK, Germany and Spain – with strong, national policies aimed at reducing global warming pollution and incentivising the use of renewable energy – are establishing


90


53.4 52.5 36.2 22.4 16.5 12.9


Rest of EU-27 12.3 Italy


9.8 9.4 9.1


stronger competitive positions in the clean energy economy. Nations seeking to compete effectively for clean energy jobs and manufacturing would do well to evaluate the array of policy mechanisms that can be employed to stimulate clean energy investment. China, for example, has set ambitious targets for wind, biomass and solar energy and, for the first time, took the top spot within the G-20 and globally for overall clean energy finance and investment in 2009. And there are reasons to be concerned


about America’s competitive position in the clean energy marketplace. Relative to the size of its economy, US clean energy finance and investments lag behind many of its G-20


partners. The US is also on the verge of losing its leadership position in installed renewable energy capacity, with China surging in the last several years to a virtual tie (Table 1). The US policy framework for reducing global warming pollution and promoting renewable energy remains uncertain, with comprehensive legislation stalled in Congress. On the other hand, America’s entrepreneurial traditions and strengths in innovation – especially its leadership in venture capital investing – are considerable, giving it the potential to recoup leadership and market share in the future. Policy, investment and business experts alike have noted


Table 2: Top 10 in 5-Year Growth in Installed Capacity


South Korea 249% China


Australia France India UK


Turkey USA


Canada


79% 40% 31% 31% 30% 30% 24% 18%


Rest of EU-27 17%


that the clean energy economy is emerging as one of the great global economic and environmental opportunities of the 21st century. Local, state and national leaders around the world increasingly recognize that safe, reliable, clean energy can be harnessed to create jobs and businesses, reduce dependence on foreign energy sources, enhance national security and reduce global warming pollution. “Nations seeking to compete effectively


for clean energy jobs and manufacturing would do well to evaluate the array of policy mechanisms that can be employed to stimulate clean energy investment. This is especially true for policy makers in the US, which is at risk of falling further behind its G-20 competitors in the coming years unless it adopts a strong national policy framework to spur more robust clean energy investment,” says the report.


New Worldwide Industry Dawning Demonstrating its staying power, the clean energy sector outperformed the oil and gas


worldPower 2010


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148