IPCC Report Highlights Potential of Renewables and Advantages of PV Solar Electricity

The new report launched on May 9, 2011 by the United Nations-supported Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) confirms the importance and benefits of a future powered by renewable energy including solar electricity.

The report, one of the most comprehensive analysis to-date of trends and the outlook for renewable energy through 2050, compares 164 scenarios and based on that refers to the possibility of renewables contributing up to 80% of electricity supply by 2050. It highlights many advantages of renewable energy, including greenhouse gas mitigation and climate benefits, but also public health and security of supply, new job and technology opportunities and the potential to provide clean and affordable energy to people who have no or only erratic access to energy.

The Summary for Policy Makers, which has now been approved by the world’s governments, will serve as basis for planning energy policies, investment and infrastructure for national and regional governments as well as for U.N. agencies and international organizations such as the World Bank.

First Solar endorses this report’s confirmation of the rapid growth and future potential of renewable energies, in particular solar energy. In line with recent reports such as The Energy Report by WWF, it shows that solar energy remains an under-appreciated resource whose growth has really only just begun.

The company recommends the report’s Summary for Policy Makers to governments, policy makers and academics world-wide to advance policies that accelerate the transition to sustainable energy markets and greater energy security worldwide.