More renewable energy than conventional power capacity was added in 2008 in both the European Union and United States for the first time ever, according to the latest Renewables Global Status Report from the Renewable Energy Policy Network (REN21).
Global power capacity from new renewable energy sources (excluding large hydro) reached 280,000 megawatts (MW) in 2008 – a 16 per cent rise from the 240,000 MW in 2007 and nearly three times the capacity of the United States nuclear sector.
Solar heating capacity increased by 15 per cent to 145 gigawatts-thermal (GWth), while biodiesel and ethanol production both increased by 34 per cent. … More
