22 August 2017: The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) analyzes the potential for countries, regions and the world to scale up renewable energy sources under its renewable energy roadmap (REmap) programme. Recent REmap reports and events explore synergies between renewable energy sources and energy efficiency, pathways for renewable energies in India, and the potential for geothermal energy in Central America.

The Benefits of Combining Renewables and Energy Efficiency

Emissions from energy use can be reduced using two principal strategies: switching to clean, renewable energy sources for energy supply; and increasing energy efficiency. The working paper titled, ‘Synergies Between Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency,’ finds that combining both strategies (RE/EE strategies) could not only reduce energy-related emissions by up to 90%, but would also substantially lower the cost of decarbonizing national energy systems. It argues that increased energy efficiency reduces total energy demand, which means that the same amount of renewable energy represents a higher share total energy generation.

Electrification of transport, for example, increases energy efficiency as electric motors are more efficient than internal combustion engines. If the electricity needed for transport is produced from renewable sources, emissions can be reduced faster than using renewables alone. The publication assesses these synergies for the largest energy users: China, Germany, India, Japan, and the US. It finds that for all five countries, RE/EE strategies are more cost effective than isolated strategies.

In its conclusion, the report identifies four areas for action: developing smart and well-designed RE/EE strategies that realize synergies across the energy system; accelerating deployment of RE/EE strategies in the industrial and transport sectors; exploring integrated RE/EE solutions for buildings; and planning for the period beyond 2030 to achieve long-term emissions reduction. The study was based on a recent joint report of IRENA and the International Energy Agency (IEA) on perspectives for a global energy transition and investments required for a low-carbon energy system. [IRENA Press Release][Working Paper Summary][Synergies Between Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency][REmap Home Page][SDG-hub Story: IRENA, IEA Outline Clean Energy Transition Pathways]

Pathways Towards Renewable Energy Deployment in India

IRENA also released a working paper titled, ‘Renewable Energy Prospects for India.’ This study finds that a quarter of India’s energy demand could be generated from renewable energy sources by 2030. It assesses India’s challenge to balance increasing energy demand, which is expected to more than double by 2030, with the need to reduce emissions and protect the environment. Among other findings, the report shows that solar energy could play a vital role as the second largest energy source. Solar energy could represent up to 16% of India’s electricity generation in 2030, followed by wind (14%) and hydropower (7%). The study provides renewable energy technology options for India’s power and end-use sectors and outlines pathways for renewable energy capacity development and costs and savings of renewable energy. It outlines the following areas for action: establishing transition pathways; creating an enabling business environment; integrating renewable energy; managing knowledge; and unleashing innovation. [IRENA Press Release][Report Summary][REMAP: Renewable Energy Prospects for India]

The Potential of Geothermal Energy in Central America

In related news, IRENA and Deutsche Gesellschaft for Technical Cooperation (GIZ) recently convened a workshop exploring the opportunities for expanding geothermal energy development in Central America. Workshop participants discussed the potential for geothermal energy in Central America, barriers to further geothermal development, and approaches to removing those barriers. The press release states that Central American countries already have the highest shares of installed geothermal energy, but that there is potential to increase this capacity by a factor of 20. Developing this capacity could make a substantial contribution to low-carbon development in Central America. [IRENA Press Release][IRENA Blog Post]