Deployment of renewables increased: report

Despite global financial challenges, deployment of renewable energy sources has increased rapidly in recent years, according to a report released Tuesday by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

"Various types of government policies, the declining cost of many renewable technologies, changes in the prices of fossil fuels, an increase of energy demand and other factors have encouraged the continuing increase in the use of renewables, "the report entitled "Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation" noted.

Renewables, which include wind power, solar hot water and heating, and the global road transport demand of biofuels, continued to grow rapidly in 2009 compared to the previous year, said the IPCC report.

Other findings of the report are that the global technical potential of renewable sources will not limit continued growth in the use of renewables.

Renewables have a large potential to mitigate climate change and may, if implemented properly, contribute to social and economic development, energy access, a secure energy supply and reducing negative impacts of the environment and health, according to the report.

Deployment of renewable technologies is expected to increase substantially under most ambitious mitigation scenarios, the report said, adding that additional policies would be required to attract the necessary increases in investment in technologies and