Entitled "Energy (R)evolution", the study said that — in a shift away from the fossil fuels blamed for global warming — solar power, biomass (including biofuels and wood), geothermal energy and wind could be the dominant energy sources by 2090. In a more radical scenario, coal use could be eliminated by 2050, the study said, if new power plants switched quickly to renewable energy sources.
The report estimated that a total of US$14.7 trillion in energy investments would be needed until 2030. In contrast, the International Energy Agency (IEA), which advises rich nations, cites a figure of US$11.3 trillion and includes greater use of fossil fuels and nuclear power.
Greenpeace and EREC — the umbrella association of Europe’s renewable energy sector — said a big energy shift was needed to avoid "dangerous" climate change. That threshold is widely defined as a temperature rise of 2º Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
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