Renewable energy has the potential to create thousands of jobs and generate power without imperilling the climate.
The UK government must set a series of progressive renewable energy targets, leading to a fossil fuel phase out in the next 30 to 40 years and open up the huge UK offshore wind resource. At the very least this means announcing a licensing round for offshore wind. To assure industry that investment in UK offshore wind is worthwhile, the Government must ensure these rounds are substantial and regular.
The global market for solar products is worth some £1 billion a year and is set to double over the next three years, a rate of growth comparable to the market in mobile phones or the internet. However, the UK has only one solar factory. Most jobs generated by the expanding solar market currently go abroad.
The European Commission has called for solar to be installed on half a million roofs by 2010 stimulating demand for manufacturing, leading to a market worth some 10 billion dollars, creating 100,000 new jobs. Greenpeace has challenged the Government to finance a national programme of 70,000 solar homes by 2010. This would stimulate a rapid price reduction in solar technology.
Greenpeace welcomes the fact that the Scottish Office has awarded power contracts to three significant wave projects. But given the huge potential of wave power in Scotland, this is not enough.
There are 2 billion people in the world without power - five times the population of Europe who have no access to electric lighting or clean fuels for cooking. Getting people clean and reliable energy necessary for essential needs such as clean water, health care facilities, heating and lighting has been identified by the UN as one of the most pressing problems facing humanity today.
Greenpeace have recently joined forces with The Body Shop to challenge world governments to provide access to renewable energy for all within ten years, in particular the two billion people who live without any power.
