Clean energies could surge to supply half of world demand by 2050 if governments crack down on use of fossil fuels, said a study.
The European Renewable Energy Council (EREC) and Greenpeace study said renewable energies -- including wind, hydro, solar, tidal power and biomass -- could leap from 13.2 per cent of world supply if governments step up a fight against global warming.
"Renewable energy, combined with the smart use of energy, can deliver half of the world's energy needs by 2050," EREC and Greenpeace said in a report entitled "Energy (R)evolution". "The bad news is that time is running out."
The forecast is far more optimistic for renewable energies than a 2006 report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), which predicted that the share of renewables would gain fractionally by 2030 to 13.7 per cent of world energy demand.
The IEA, which advises governments, predicted that oil, coal and natural gas would continue to dominate world energy supply in coming decades.
The EREC and Greenpeace study makes sharply different assumptions from the IEA, including that oil prices will reach $100 a barrel by 2050, promoting a shift to energy efficiency and to clean energies.
The IEA projects that oil prices, now at about $55 a barrel, will dip and then rise back to $55 a barrel by 2030.
"The days of 'cheap oil and gas' are coming to an end," the EREC and Greenpeace study said. EREC groups European organisations representing companies making everything from solar panels to wind turbines.
"By contrast, the reserves of renewable energy that are technically accessible globally are large enough to provide about six times more power than the world currently consumes -- forever," it said.
The report also projects that overall world energy demand could fall by about 6 percent by 2050, mainly thanks to greater efficiency and despite a growing world population.
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The European Renewable Energy Council (EREC) and Greenpeace study said renewable energies -- including wind, hydro, solar, tidal power and biomass -- could leap from 13.2 per cent of world supply if governments step up a fight against global warming.
"Renewable energy, combined with the smart use of energy, can deliver half of the world's energy needs by 2050," EREC and Greenpeace said in a report entitled "Energy (R)evolution". "The bad news is that time is running out."
The forecast is far more optimistic for renewable energies than a 2006 report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), which predicted that the share of renewables would gain fractionally by 2030 to 13.7 per cent of world energy demand.
The IEA, which advises governments, predicted that oil, coal and natural gas would continue to dominate world energy supply in coming decades.
The EREC and Greenpeace study makes sharply different assumptions from the IEA, including that oil prices will reach $100 a barrel by 2050, promoting a shift to energy efficiency and to clean energies.
The IEA projects that oil prices, now at about $55 a barrel, will dip and then rise back to $55 a barrel by 2030.
"The days of 'cheap oil and gas' are coming to an end," the EREC and Greenpeace study said. EREC groups European organisations representing companies making everything from solar panels to wind turbines.
"By contrast, the reserves of renewable energy that are technically accessible globally are large enough to provide about six times more power than the world currently consumes -- forever," it said.
The report also projects that overall world energy demand could fall by about 6 percent by 2050, mainly thanks to greater efficiency and despite a growing world population.
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