The World in 2030

200 The World in 2030
We find markets for our four benchmark technologies
– solar photovoltaics, wind power, biofuels, and
fuel cells – continuing their healthy climb.
Annual revenue for these four technologies ramped
up nearly 39 per cent in one year – from $40 billion
in 2005 to $55 billion in 2006. We forecast that they
will continue on this trajectory to become a $226 billion
market by 2016.
A number of developments put clean energy definitively
on the map over the past year. These include a
near tripling in venture investments in energy technologies
in the US to more than $2.4 billion; a new
level of commitment by US politicians at the regional,
state, and federal levels; and significant corporate
investments in clean energy acquisitions and expansion
initiatives. 379
Before looking at the type of technologies which might be
providing our clean power by 2030 it is worth defining the
difference between ‘renewable’ and ‘sustainable’ energy
sources, even though many commentators seem to use the
terms interchangeably.
‘Renewable’ 380 sources are those natural sources that
surround us and which are automatically renewed. These
include the sun’s radiation, wind power, wave power,
tidal movements, hydroelectric power and geothermal
power (heat trapped in rocks). Usually very little carbon
is emitted in the generation of power from renewable
sources.