Renewable Energy

Key Facts¹

• Global energy consumption in 2006 was comprised of 79% fossil fuel, 3% nuclear, and 18% renewables. Within renewables, traditional biomass accounted for 72%, large hydropower another 16%, and the balance in hot-water/heating, power generators, and biofuels.
  
  
• More than half of world ethanol production is produced from sugar and sugar byproducts, with Brazil being by far the world leader.
  
  
• Worldwide, 2.4 billion people rely on traditional biomass for cooking and must collect and burn straw, dung, and scraps of wood to cook their meals. 1.6 billion people do not have access to electricity at all.
  
  
• The International Energy Agency estimates that if the MDG poverty-reduction target is to be met, modern energy services will need to be provided to an additional 700 million people by 2015.
  
  
• Ethanol distilled from sugar cane has some real advantages; it is a perennial tropical crop. Ethanol can be distilled from the can juice, with the woody bagasse used to fuel the distillery.
  
  
• Sugar cane ethanol can help revive production and employment of existing but abandoned sugar cane fields.
  
  
• Renewable energy can contribute to education by providing electricity to schools, improving attendance, retaining teachers, and powering educational media.
  
  
• Renewable energy can also contribute to improved health by providing energy to refrigerate medicine, sterilize medical equipment, and incinerate medical waste.

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