The Solar World Congress has called on governments to urgently implement the most effective and efficient policies for the rapid transition to a renewable energy world.
The International Solar Energy Society (ISES) Solar World Congress unveiled its 2009 resolution at the closing ceremony of the four-day conference in Johannesburg, yesterday.
“The global target of 100% renewable energy is both attainable and necessary by the middle of the next century. This is motivated on the grounds of ecological, economic and social sustainability,” states the resolution.
The congress said the energy supply backlog in third world countries could only be addressed cost-effectively and in time through the use of renewable energy.
It proposed that local and rural communities be actively involved and benefit directly from renewable energies. “Governments should especially encourage and support community power projects and distributed generation, as well as investment in renewable energy manufacturing facilities in order to foster the local creation of jobs.”
Monica Oliphant, president of ISES, said: “This congress showed that moving towards 100% renewable energy is not only feasible, but essential, and that we have to influence decision-makers to implement this, not only in Africa, but in other countries as well.”
She also reiterated ISES's support for the newly-formed International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena), a global body with 138 member countries, aiming to promote a rapid transition towards the international and widespread use of renewable energy.
Richard Worthington, manager of the climate change programme at the World Wildlife Fund SA, said thinking around energy issues had undergone notable changes in the past decade.
“We're in a very different mindset in energy than 10 years ago, when lots of people took energy for granted and issues such as energy poverty dominated the debate. Now we're really reaching a strong, growing consensus that it's not a question of if, but when we go to renewable, and eventually 100% renewable energy.”
He added that the drivers of renewable technologies had also changed. “People are becoming much more aware of what energy supply needs are and looking at the demand side. It's become about looking for innovations and integration in terms of technology, and not simply going for incremental improvements, which are not going to get us where we need to be in meeting energy service needs with less supply.”
Business unusual
Worthington noted that many discussions at the congress centred on energy and economics, the rate of subsidies, and the need to redirect subsidies from business as usual. He said quoted figures were extremely high for subsidies currently going to fossil fuels and nuclear.
“Greater attention has to be given to the types of standards and regulations that would help to level the playing field for solar energy.
“Increasingly, society is thinking about meeting the needs for energy, and not simply how to get cheap supply, which hopefully will also get a bit of a rethink around opportunity planning.”
Prof Wikus van Niekerk, director of the Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies, at Stellenbosch University, said: “You have to create a market, whether totally free or a bit of a manipulated market, but create one and then different technologies and technology suppliers will come play in that market.
“It's not about only this technology or that technology, it's always an 'and'; so solar water heaters, energy efficiency and other renewable energies all have a contribution to make towards the energy requirements in the country,” he added. “But there's definitely a need to establish a competent solar power industry in SA.”
Regulatory hurdles
There was much discussion at the congress around the development of common standards, said Worthington, and the need for effective regulation. “These touched on some of the regulatory conundrums in SA at the moment, where there's a feed-in tariff with the utility being the buyer, the seller, the player and the referee. There's a lot more work to be done in making sure regulation supports renewable energy.”
In its resolution, the congress applauded government's first steps in introducing the renewable energy feed-in tariff (Refit), but also urged it to address public and investor concerns about aspects of the Refit policy.
“These include transparency, certainty, removal of contradictions between legislation and regulations governing the Refit and providing a roadmap with clear commitments and timelines to its implementation,” the resolution stated.
Shaping perception
According to Worthington, an important social aspect surrounding solar technology is understanding user needs so they can be met appropriately. “It's also about building the capacity of stakeholders, particularly where we want to use solar energy to alleviate energy poverty, and poverty in general, to support productive activity, especially in Africa.”
He added there's a need to address the perception of solar energy. “In society at large, it's very often seen as an environmental or a luxury issue and is still not associated with the most effective means of meeting people's energy needs.
“Technology is not just about reception or innovation, there's also an opportunity for integration, and integrating solar into different kinds of electricity supplies and installations,” said Worthington.
“Work needs to be done in getting people to understand what you can and can't do with a particular intervention. The value of energy services to people without, for example, communication technology and ICT, is far, far greater than the value of giving it to factories currently using resources so wastefully.
“Solar energy can ultimately be a force of integration for society as a whole; causing people to rethink spatial planning, types of energy use, and the potential for cooperation among different players in society in looking towards a sustainable future.”
The next Solar World Congress will be held in Kassel, Germany, and Oliphant officially handed over the society's flag to representatives from the host city, ahead of its preparations for 2011.
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