Renewables on course to overtake coal by 2030

Source: Financial Review

by: Pilita Clark

Wind, solar and other types of renewable power will overtake coal to become the world's top source of electricity in just 15 years if the pledges countries are making for a global climate change deal this year are met.

The leaders of the Group of Seven nations last week backed a goal to phase out emissions this century and sharply reduce greenhouse gases by 2050

The striking finding by the International Energy Agency shows renewable power could soar from just over a fifth of global electricity generation today to nearly a third by 2030 - a bigger share than either coal, gas or nuclear plants.

This shows today's energy companies are making a "major fatal error" if they assume climate action is not going to affect their businesses, said Fatih Birol, the IEA chief economist.

Renewable power will overtake coal if climate pledges are kept

Source: FT.com

Wind, solar and other types of renewable power will overtake coal to become the world’s top source of electricity in just 15 years if the pledges countries are making for a global climate change deal this year are met.

ft.com

The striking finding by the International Energy Agency shows renewable power could soar from just over a fifth of global electricity generation today to nearly a third by 2030 — a bigger share than either coal, gas or nuclear plants.

Greenhouse effect from fossil fuels felt almost immediately

Within months, CO2-trapped heat surpasses warming from combustion

BURNING UP  The heat radiated by burning fossil fuels such as natural gas, shown, is overshadowed within months by the greenhouse gas effect of the released carbon dioxide, new research shows.

The planet quickly feels the burn from the lasting effects of fossil fuel combustion, new research shows.

When a fossil fuel burns, it radiates heat and releases carbon dioxide. Once in the atmosphere, some of that CO2 can linger for thousands of years and trap heat that would otherwise leak into space. Over