Report: Green energy sources becoming more competitive
By Bruce Geiselman

Sept. 20 -- America derives only 6 percent of its total energy from renewable resources, but federal and state governments could adopt policies that would significantly boost that amount in coming years, according to a report released by the Worldwatch Institute and the Center for American Progress.

Rising prices for traditional fossil fuels coupled with an increased understanding of environmental issues also could help fuel the transition to renewable energy, according to the report.

"Many of the new technologies that harness renewables are, or soon will be, economically competitive with the fossil fuels that meet 85 percent of U.S. energy needs," the report states.

A growth in renewable energy already is under way, according to the report. Since 2000, global wind energy generation has more than tripled, solar cell production has risen sixfold, production of fuel from ethanol crops has more than doubled, and biodiesel production has expanded nearly fourfold.

Increased development of renewable fuel sources helps drive down the costs of technology and helps spur rapid advances in technologies, according to the report.

Benefits of switching to renewable energy, which typically produces far less pollution and greenhouse gases than fossil fuels, would improve air quality and reduce global warming that threatens agriculture and coastal properties subject to flooding.

However, to help spur further development, U.S. government policies need to change, according to the report´s authors, who cite Germany, Spain and Japan as leaders in renewable energy development.

"By contrast, U.S. renewable energy policies over the past two decades have been an ever-changing patchwork," according to the report. "Abrupt changes in direction at both the state and federal levels have deterred investors and led dozens of companies into bankruptcy."

The report contains a list of suggested changes, including reducing federal subsidies to the fossil fuel industries, establishing clear and long-term goals and targets for renewable energy use and energy efficiency gains, providing low-interest loans to help fund renewable energy projects, enacting high-performance building codes to increase energy efficiency, and requiring most new vehicles sold to be able to run on ethanol or biofuel blends.

The full report is available online at www.worldwatch.org.