Renewable Energy Systems: Current Status and Prospects

Abstract

This keynote presentation examines the current status of renewables in the world. The presentation starts with some facts about the climate change, global warming and the effects of human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels on the climate problem. It then examines shortly the current status of conventional resources of energy, followed by a general outline of the status of renewables in the world, which includes the shares with respect to conventional fuel use for electricity and power and jobs created. Then the basic forms of renewables are examined in some detail, which include solar thermal, both for low and high temperature applications, photovoltaics, hydro power, onshore and offshore wind energy systems and biomass/biofuels. In all these the basic technology is presented followed by the current status as well as the prospects of the technology and new research findings.