The 3rd Clean Energy Ministerial conference wrapped up in London last week with expanded areas of collaboration, including the UK offshore wind hub we reported on.
The US launched the conferences in 2010 to accelerate the transition to clean energy by getting the world’s most polluting countries together to collaborate on policies and technologies. Energy Ministers from 23 countries attended, representing 80% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions and 80% of clean energy investment.
Significantly, they signed onto United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon’s Sustainable Energy For All (SE4ALL) initiative, making it more likely to be adopted during the June Rio+20 summit:
By 2030:
1. Ensure universal access to electricity
2. Double the rate of energy efficiency
3. Double the share of renewable energy worldwide in the world’s energy mix
During the conference the IEA issued a report warning energy ministers that governments are falling badly behind on low-carbon energy,
Although a record $260 billion was invested globally in clean energy in 2011, that falls far short of the $5 trillion necessary by 2020 to avoid the worst case scenario we are currently hurtling toward – a rise in global average temperature of 11°F, says the IEA.
Initiatives Energy Ministers are Collaborating On:
- Electric Vehicles Initiative – to accelerate global scale-up of electric vehicles
- Global Superior Energy Performance Partnership – energy savings in commercial buildings and industry
- Super-Efficient Equipment and Appliance Deployment (SEAD) Initiative – to transform the global market for energy-efficient appliances and equipment
- Bioenergy Working Group – accelerate deployment of bioenergy
- Carbon Capture, Use and Storage Action Group – to overcome barriers to carbon capture, use, and storage
- Multilateral Solar and Wind Working Group – to lower the incremental costs of providing solar and wind energy to all regions of the world
- Sustainable Development of Hydropower Initiative
- International Smart Grid Action Network – to accelerate smart grids worldwide, which in turn enable expanded integration of efficient, clean supply technologies
- Solar and LED Energy Access Program – to transform the global market for affordable, clean lighting for 1.6 billion people who lack access to grid-supplied electricity
As part of the Smart Grid Network, energy ministers are launching the 21st Century Power Partnership to share policies and technologies for integrating renewable nergy in larger electrical grids. They will also help move technologies from the lab to commercialization stage.
One of the group’s goals is to eliminate the need for 650 mid-size power plants, which would reduce carbon emissions 11 billion tons by 2030.
Since the Clean Energy Ministerial launched, it has already facilitated sales of off-grid lighting systems in Africa for half a million homes.
Here’s their website:
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