Europe keeps pace with the best in RE

Ernst & Young All Renewables Index

Germany is keeping pace with the United States and China when it comes to their renewable energy technology markets and investments in research and development.

Professional service firm Ernst & Young has put the three countries at the sharp end of the world's clean technology industry, with America scoring scored of 70 out of 100, followed by China, scoring 67. The index, released today, rates countries based on the attractiveness of their renewable energy markets, infrastructure and support for specific technologies, categories within which Germany score very high.

However potential solar tariff cuts in Germany may drive investors away, the accounting firm said. The UK managed to improve its rank to fifth place on the index, tying with Spain, after Britain rolled out plans to extend its renewable obligations system to 2037 and pledged to support new projects for up to 20 years.

Global renewable energy market

Europe continue to feature strongly in the global renewable energy market, helped in no small part by the volume of overseas interest and investment in the regions clean tech sector.

For example it was recently announced that GE is hoping to build stronger relationships with suppliers across Europe as it is investing 340 million euros in wind turbine manufacturing in Germany, Sweden, Norway and the UK.

Ferdinando Beccalli-Falco, GE President and CEO said of the deal: "Offshore wind will play a vital role in meeting the growing global demand for cleaner, renewable energy and has a bright future her in Europe.

"These investments will position us to help develop Europe's vast, untapped offshore wind resources, while also creating new jobs for both GE and our suppliers."

Essential to the energy mix

The American energy giant will invest a total of 110 million euros in UK wind turbine manufacturing, while creating a technology development centre in Norway. In Sweden, GE is creating a design centre and technology demonstration unit, while expansions and a new engineering centre are planned for Germany.

"If all of the offshore wind projects currently in development are completed, they could provide 10 percent of the European Union's total electricity while avoiding 200 million tonnes of CO2 emissions each year," said GE in a statement.

"Overall, offshore wind is expected to make a major contribution in helping the European Union reach its goal to have 20 percent of its energy produced from renewable resources by the year 2020."

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Germany's renewable sector is booming | EU invests in 'engaging' with RE | The most polluted places in the world

Daniel Jones

Daniel is a Politics and Philosophy graduate from Cardiff University where he also worked as a section editor on the award winning student newspaper. After university he joined an IT support company where he was a B2B online writer. He loves anything to do with sport and joined GDS in July 2009.

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